Virginia Code 3.2-2805: Powers and duties of Commissioner
The Commissioner shall have the following powers and duties:
Terms Used In Virginia Code 3.2-2805
- Beekeeper: means any person who keeps and manages bees for profit, and shall include those growers who keep bees for pollinating crops. See Virginia Code 3.2-2800
- Board: means the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services. See Virginia Code 3.2-100
- Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services. See Virginia Code 3.2-100
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes any of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and the United States Virgin Islands. See Virginia Code 1-245
1. To receive and dispense funds;
2. To develop and administer a beekeeper assistance program that is designed to assist Virginia beekeepers in maintaining healthy, productive colonies;
3. To enter into contracts for the purpose of developing new or improved markets or marketing methods for bees and bee products and pollination services;
4. To contract for scientific research services and to contract to develop improved pollinating behavior in honeybees and other pollinating insects;
5. To contract for rearing numbers of improved queen bees sufficient for distribution or sale to beekeepers;
6. To enter into agreements with any local, state or national organization or agency engaged in education for the purpose of disseminating information on pollinators and pollination of crops;
7. To rent or purchase office and laboratory space and land as necessary to carry out its duties;
8. To appoint employees, full- or part-time, and to fix their compensation, if any, in accord with the provisions of the Virginia Personnel Act, (§ 2.2-2900 et seq.);
9. To encourage research, education, methods of improvement in apicultural practices, and promotion projects and the award of funds for such projects as deemed necessary or advisable to accomplish the objectives set forth in this chapter; and
10. To report to the Board in the manner and at such times as the Board may prescribe, regarding the receipt and expenditure of funds. The Commissioner shall ensure that funds made available to the Plant Pollination Fund are expended only for the purposes authorized by this chapter.
1977, c. 452, §§ 3.1-610.25, 3.1-610.26:1; 1978, c. 267; 1992, c. 121; 2004, c. 201; 2008, c. 860; 2011, cc. 594, 681.