§ 106-2.  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services established; Board of Agriculture, membership, terms of office, etc.

(a) Department and Board Established. - The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is created and established and shall be under the control of the Commissioner of Agriculture, with the consent and advice of a board to be established and named "The Board of Agriculture."

(b) Membership; Qualifications. - The Board of Agriculture shall consist of the Commissioner of Agriculture, who shall be an ex officio member and chairman thereof and shall preside at all meetings, and of 12 other members from the State, so distributed as to reasonably represent the different sections and agriculture of the State. The Commissioner of Agriculture and the members of the Board of Agriculture shall be practicing farmers engaged in their profession. The members of the Board shall be appointed by the Governor by and with the consent of the Senate. In the appointment of the members of the Board the Governor shall also take into consideration the different agricultural interests of the State, and shall appoint members with the following qualifications:

(1) One member who shall be a practicing tobacco farmer to represent the tobacco farming interest.

(2) One member who shall be a practicing cotton grower to represent the cotton interest.

(3) One member who shall be a practicing fruit or vegetable farmer to represent the fruit and vegetable farming interest.

(4) One member who shall be a practicing dairy farmer to represent the dairy and cattle interest of the State.

(5) One member who shall be a practicing poultryman to represent the poultry interest of the State.

(6) One member who shall be a practicing peanut grower to represent the peanut interests of the State.

(7) One member who shall be experienced in marketing to represent the marketing of products of the State.

(8) One member who shall be actively involved in forestry to represent the forestry interests of the State.

(9) One member who shall be actively involved in the nursery business to represent the nursery industry of the State.

(10) One member who shall be a practicing general farmer to represent the general farming interest.

(11) One member who shall be a practicing pork farmer to represent the swine interest of the State.

(12) One member who shall be actively involved in the equine industry to represent the equine industry of the State.

(c) Terms. - The term of office of members of the Board shall be six years and until their successors are duly appointed and qualified.

(d) Vacancies. - Vacancies in the Board shall be filled by the Governor for the unexpired term. (Code, s. 2184; 1901, c. 479, ss. 2, 4; Rev., s. 3931; 1907, c. 497, s. 1; C.S., s. 4667; 1931, c. 360, s. 1; 1937, c. 174; 1995, c. 509, s. 53; 1997-261, ss. 15, 16; 2011-145, s. 13.22A(dd); 2013-99, s. 1; 2013-342, s. 1; 2023-63, s. 1.3.)