ENROLLED
H. B. 4782
(By Delegates Douglas, Butcher, Perdue, Marshall, Flanigan,
Stalnaker and Willison)
[Passed March 11, 2000; in effect from passage.]
AN ACT to amend and reenact section four, article one, chapter
nineteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine
hundred thirty-one, as amended, authorizing the commissioner
of agriculture to administer the state rural development
council.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That section four, article one, chapter nineteen of the code
of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended,
be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 1. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.
§19-1-4. Duties of commissioner.
The commissioner of agriculture shall perform the following
duties:
(a) Devise means of advancing the agricultural interests of the state, and, in the performance of such duty, he or she shall
have authority to call upon any state department, or officer of the
state or county, to cooperate in promoting the agricultural
interests of the state. It shall be the duty of any such
department, or officer, upon request of the commissioner to render
the assistance desired;
(b) Promote and encourage the organization of such societies
and associations as have for their object the improvement and
development of the state's agricultural, horticultural and kindred
interests, especially in production, processing for market and
distribution;
(c) Conduct cooperative work with the United States department
of agriculture in inspecting and determining the grade and
condition of farm produce at collecting centers, receiving centers
and shipping points;
(d) Induce the investment of capital in, and immigration into,
this state by the dissemination of information relative to the
soil, climate, health, natural resources, market opportunities and
advantages of the state;
(e) Investigate and report upon the kinds, conditions and
extent of the mineral products of the state and their value;
(f) Take charge of the museum of the department of agriculture, collect, preserve and exhibit therein specimens of
agricultural, horticultural and kindred products, products of the
forests, minerals, flora and fauna of the state;
(g) Administer the state rural development council through the
marketing and development division established in section three-a
of this article, in accordance with the memorandum of understanding
between the United States department of Agriculture and the state
concerning the president's initiative on rural development;
(h) Publish and distribute from time to time such reports and
bulletins concerning agriculture, horticulture and kindred subjects
as may be of value to the farmers of the state, and, as conditions
may demand, publish a handbook giving the resources of the several
counties of the state, the varieties of soil and products, both
mineral and vegetable, and the adaptability of the different
sections of the state to the different branches of agriculture,
horticulture and kindred interests;
(i) Submit a biennial report to the governor and Legislature
containing such information as to the operations of the department
as may be helpful to the agricultural interests of the state,
together with an itemized statement of all receipts and
disbursements during the biennial period covered thereby, and
giving the name of every person employed during such period, the time employed, and the amount paid each employee;
(j) Perform such other duties and exercise such other powers
as are provided in this chapter and by general law; and
(k) Propose rules, including regulatory standards, for
legislative approval in accordance with the provisions of article
three, chapter twenty-nine of this code for the purpose of carrying
out the requirements of this chapter.