                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

DEPARTMENT CONTINUED; APPOINTMENT OF COMMISSIONER; AGRICULTURE EDUCATION (§
3.2-101)

A. The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is continued. The
Department shall be under the management and control of a Commissioner appointed
by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the General Assembly, for a term
coincident with that of the Governor. Any vacancy in the office of the
Commissioner shall be filled by appointment by the Governor pursuant to the
provisions of Article V, Section 10 of the Constitution of Virginia.

B. There shall be established, within the Department, to be administered by the
Department of Agriculture Education at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State
University, a unit of specialists in agriculture education. The unit shall: (i)
assist in developing and revising local agriculture curricula to integrate the
Standards of Learning; (ii) provide professional development for agriculture
instructional personnel to improve the quality of agriculture education; (iii)
conduct site visits to the schools providing agriculture education; and (iv)
seek the input of business and industry representatives regarding the content
and direction of agriculture education programs in the public schools of the
Commonwealth.

   1. Any required reduction in the Department&#8217;s budget shall be reflected
   in a proportional reduction in the operation of the agriculture education
   unit. The reduction in the allocation for operation of the agriculture
   education unit shall not exceed the percentage reduction provided for in the
   appropriation act for the Department.

   2. In the event that additional funds are not allocated for these positions,
   the Department shall not be required to absorb the costs of these positions.

HISTORY: Code 1950, § 3-7; 1966, c. 702, § 3.1-8; 1971, Ex. Sess., c. 34;
1978, c. 219; 1985, c. 397; 2004, c. 180, § 3.1-14.2; 2008, c. 860.