2005 Vermont Code - § 1. — General powers of agency; secretary of agriculture, food and markets

§ 1. General powers of agency; secretary of agriculture, food and markets

(a) The agency of agriculture, food and markets shall be administered by a secretary of agriculture, food and markets. The secretary shall supervise and be responsible for the execution and enforcement of all laws relating to agriculture and standards of weight and measure. The secretary may:

(1) delegate any authority, power or duty as necessary for the proper execution of the laws;

(2) conduct examinations and pass upon the qualifications of applicants for licenses;

(3) conduct routine inspections and investigate suspected violations of any law administered by the secretary;

(4) conduct hearings;

(5) issue subpoenas and administer oaths in connection with an authorized investigation or hearing;

(6) enter into contracts on behalf of the agency;

(7) seek and obtain temporary or permanent injunctions to restrain a violation of any law administered by the secretary, whenever there are reasonable grounds to believe that a law has been or will be violated;

(8) institute appropriate proceedings in the name of the agency to enforce any law administered by the secretary;

(9) apply for and accept grants of money or other gifts on behalf of the agency, subject to 32 V.S.A. § 5;

(10) adopt and enforce rules to implement the laws administered by the secretary;

(11) accept an assurance of discontinuance in lieu of instituting an action or proceeding for violation of a law administered by the secretary;

(12) exercise any other power or authority granted by common law or statute.

(b) The following entities shall exist and operate within the agency of agriculture, food and markets under the general supervision of the secretary:

(1) The Vermont milk commission.

(2) The state dairy council.

(3) The Vermont dairy industry council.

(4) The agricultural development commission. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 10, eff. March 1, 1961; 1967, No. 303 (Adj. Sess.), § 16(b); 1987, No. 277 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1989, No. 256 (Adj. Sess.), § 10(a), eff. Jan. 1, 1991; 1991, No. 17, § 8(a), eff. April 4, 1991; 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003.)