CHAPTER 14.  DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

§621.  Department of Agriculture and Forestry; creation; domicile; composition; purposes and functions

A.  The Department of Agriculture and Forestry is created and shall be a body corporate with the power to sue and be sued.  The domicile of the department shall be in Baton Rouge.  The department shall be known as the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

B.  The Department of Agriculture and Forestry, through its offices and officers, shall be responsible for performing the functions of the commissioner of agriculture and forestry and the agencies transferred into this department in accordance with the provisions of this Title.

C.(1)  The Department of Agriculture and Forestry shall be composed of the executive office of the commissioner, the office of forestry, the office of management and finance, the office of agricultural and environmental sciences, the office of agro-consumer services, the office of animal health and food safety, the office of soil and water conservation, and such other offices as shall be created by law.

(2) Whenever the commissioner of agriculture and forestry determines that the administration of the functions of the department may be more efficiently performed by eliminating, merging, or consolidating existing offices or establishing new offices, he shall present a plan therefor to the legislature for its approval by statute.

Added by Acts 1977, No. 83, §1, eff. June 22, 1977.  Acts 1986, No. 581, §2, eff. July 2, 1986; Acts 1987, No. 736, §1; Acts 1988, No. 91, §1; Acts 2008, No. 52, §2, eff. June 5, 2008; Acts 2008, No. 920, §4, eff. July 14, 2008; Acts 2009, No. 24, §3, eff. June 12, 2009.

NOTE:  SEE ACTS 1987, NO. 736, §3.

NOTE:  SEE ACTS 1990, NO. 601, §§3-5.

NOTE:  See Acts 2009, No. 24, §§9-11 relative to transfer of certain authority to the La. Agricultural Finance Authority (associated with abolition of office of marketing and agro-economic development and State Market Commission).