In 1981 he became commissioner of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Forestry, serving six years and seven months under then Governor Lee Teng-hui and present Governor Chiu Chuang-huan.
民國七十年，余玉賢出任台灣省政府農林廳長，經歷李登輝、邱創煥兩位省主席，時間長達六年七個月。