Commissioner’s powers and duties

The commissioner or his or her designee is responsible for conducting the operations of the farms and shall: (1) Prepare an annual report of the farming operations, including a listing of all receipts and expenditures and shall present it to the Legislature at the end of each fiscal year. (2) Prepare the annual budget request for the operation of the institutional farms. (3) Receive and approve all requisitions for farm supplies and equipment. (4) Supervise the operation of all canneries and determine what foods are to be canned. (5) Recruit and approve assistant farm managers to supervise each institutional farm. (6) Transfer farm supplies, farm equipment, farm facilities, food stuffs, and produce from one institutional farm to another to promote efficiency and improve farm management. (7) Rent or lease additional land for farm use. By September 30 each year, each institution under the control of the Department of Health Facilities and the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall present to the commissioner a purchase order for its food requirements during the next fiscal year as determined by the institution. If, during the year, an institution finds that it needs other or additional food, milk, or commodities not included in its purchase order for the year, the institutional superintendent may forward a supplemental request to the commissioner, which order may be filled depending on availability. If institutional farms produce more food, milk, and other commodities than can be sold to the institutions, the commissioner may sell the surplus to other state agencies willing to purchase. If any surplus remains after sales to other state agencies, the commissioner may sell the surplus on the open market or turn over any surplus food products to appropriate public, nonprofit agencies.