§ 11. Other officers and employees. There shall be such agents, inspectors, chemists, experts, statisticians, accountants and other assistants and employees, as the commissioner shall deem necessary for the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties of the department under this chapter. Such officers and employees shall be appointed by the commissioner […]
§ 12. Oaths of office. The commissioner, the deputy commissioners, the counsel and the secretary shall, before entering upon the duties of their offices, take and subscribe the constitutional oath of office. Such oaths shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state.
§ 13. Salaries of officers; expenses. The annual salaries and compensation of the deputy commissioners, the counsel, secretary and all other officers and employees of the department shall be fixed by the commissioner within the limits of appropriations made therefor. The reasonable and necessary traveling and other expenses of the commissioner, deputy commissioners, secretary, counsel […]
§ 14. Offices of department. The principal office of the department shall be in the county of Albany in office space to be designated by the commissioner of general services pursuant to law. Branch offices shall be established and maintained by the department in such places as the commissioner of agriculture and markets may determine. […]
§ 15. Seal of department. The department shall have an official seal, to be prepared and furnished by the secretary of state, as provided by law. Such seal shall be used for the authentication of the orders and proceedings of the commissioner and for such other purposes as the commissioner may prescribe.
§ 16. General powers and duties of department. The department through the commissioner shall have power to: 1. Execute and carry into effect the laws of the state and the rules of the department, relative to agriculture, horticulture, farm, fruit, and dairy products, aquaculture, and the production, processing, transportation, storage, marketing and distributing of food; […]
§ 16-a. Food products containing nitrous oxide; packaging. The commissioner shall promulgate rules and regulations to require that all food products containing nitrous oxide be offered for sale in tamper evident packaging. For the purposes of this section, the term “tamper evident packaging” shall mean packaging having an indicator or barrier to entry which, if […]
§ 16-b. Public awareness campaign regarding Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. The commissioner, in consultation with the commissioner of health, shall develop and conduct a public awareness campaign regarding Lyme disease and other tick-borne diseases. The campaign may utilize public forums, social media and mass media, including but not limited to internet, radio, and […]
§ 17. Delegation of powers. (a) The commissioner may delegate any of his powers to, or direct any of his duties to be performed by, a deputy commissioner or the director of a bureau and, except where it is otherwise provided in this chapter or the context otherwise requires, may delegate any of such powers […]
§ 18. Rules of department. Subject and in conformity to this chapter and the constitution and laws of the state, the commissioner may enact, amend and repeal necessary rules which shall 1. Regulate and control the transaction of business by the department, provide for the exercise of the powers and the performance of the duties […]
§ 19. Publication of rules. Every rule or regulation enacted by the commissioner pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and intended to have the force of law shall be promptly published once in the New York state bulletin, published by the department of state pursuant to section one hundred sixty of the executive law. […]
§ 20. Access to place of business. The commissioner, each deputy commissioner and the directors, counsel, experts, chemists, agents and other officers and employees of the department shall have full access to all places of business, factories, farms, buildings, carriages, cars and vessels used in the production, manufacture, storage, sale or transportation within the state […]
§ 20-a. Search warrant in aid of the commissioner of agriculture. A search warrant, in the name of the people, directed to a police officer commanding him to search for dairy products, imitations thereof and substitutes therefor, to open any place of business, factory, building, store, bakery, hotel, tavern, boarding house, restaurant, saloon, lunch counter, […]
§ 21. Interference with department employees in performance of duties; bribery. No person shall attempt, by means of any threat or violence, to deter or prevent an inspector, agent or other employee of the department from performing any duty imposed by law upon him or upon the department; nor shall any person give or offer […]
§ 22. Power to administer oaths and compel testimony. The commissioner, a deputy commissioner, the secretary or counsel of the department, or any other officer or employee duly authorized by the commissioner, may administer oaths and take affidavits in relation to any matter or proceeding in the exercise of the powers and duties of the […]
§ 23. Records, documents and papers of the department. All proceedings, documents, papers and records filed or deposited with the department relating to matters within its jurisdiction and powers shall be public records; except such portions thereof as are received and accepted by the commissioner, as being of a confidential nature which when so received […]
§ 24. Publication of department bulletins, publications and reports. There may be published by the department from time to time bulletins or other publications and reports containing accurate data, statistics and information. 1. As to agriculture, agricultural production, agricultural labor and the agricultural conditions of the state, and the development and improvement thereof, with a […]
§ 25. Annual reports. The commissioner may require all agricultural societies receiving money from the state to make reports to the department, and may prescribe the form of such reports.
§ 26. Transfer of property and records in custody of council of agriculture and markets. The property, records, books, papers and documents, if any, in the custody, possession or control of the council of agriculture and markets at the time this section takes effect, which pertain or relate to any of the functions, powers and […]
§ 27. Obtaining title to real property by purchase or acquisition. 1. The commissioner, when an appropriation therefor has been made by the legislature, may obtain title to any real property which he may deem necessary for the purposes of the department, including the purposes of the state fair, by purchase or pursuant to the […]
