Whenever the director of the state department of agriculture determines that there exists the threat of an infestation of grasshoppers, crickets or other similar pests on state-owned land and that the infestation is of such a character as to be a menace to state and adjacent private rangeland or agricultural land, the director of the state department of agriculture may declare the existence of a zone of infestation, and may declare and fix the boundaries so as to definitely describe and identify the zone of infestation.
Thereupon, the state director of the department of lands or his agent shall have the power to go upon the state-owned land within the zone of infestation and shall cause the insect infestation to be suppressed and eradicated in the manner approved by the state board of land commissioners, using such funds as have been appropriated or may hereafter be made available for such purposes; provided, that whenever the cost of suppression and eradication of grasshoppers, crickets or other similar pests on state-owned lands exceeds the funds appropriated or otherwise available for that purpose, the state board of land commissioners may authorize the issuance of deficiency warrants against the general account for up to fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) in any one (1) year for such suppression and eradication. The director of the department of lands, in executing the provisions of this chapter insofar as it relates to state-owned lands, shall have the authority to cooperate with federal, county, municipal and private landowners in insect suppression and eradication projects; provided, that the state funds shall only be used to pay the state’s pro rata share based on acreage of state-owned lands treated. Such moneys as the state shall thus become liable for shall be paid as a part of the expenses of the state board of land commissioners out of appropriations which shall be made by the legislature for that purpose.