SECTION 3.2-4702. Powers and duties of Director  

In the administration of the Division, the Director, under the supervision of the Commissioner:

1. Shall investigate: (i) the cost of food production and marketing; (ii) the market demand for the products of Virginia farms; (iii) the proximity of producers to the most profitable markets for their products; (iv) the transportation facilities; and (v) the most advantageous methods of packing, storing, and standardizing agricultural products;

2. Shall conduct analyses to determine whether the agricultural products of the Commonwealth are being subjected to unfair competition from agricultural products or manufactured substitutes;

3. May assist in the organization of cooperatives among producers and consumers, for the purpose of promoting and conserving the interest of producers of agricultural products in the sale and distribution of such products, and in the purchase of their necessary supplies;

4. May cooperate with federal officials, national, district, and state committees and supervisory bodies in enforcing codes and marketing agreements adopted under the federal Agricultural Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. § 1281 et seq.) or other similar acts of Congress;

5. May enter into agreements with federal officials, national, district, or state committees or supervisory bodies for carrying out the provisions of this section or the Federal Agricultural Adjustment Act or other similar acts of Congress;

6. May appoint, supervise, and dismiss as inspectors or representatives of the Division those employees of his office as he may deem necessary for the enforcement and carrying out the purposes of subdivisions 4 through 7; and

7. May receive from the federal department or its subdivisions, national, district or state committees or supervisory bodies, or from other sources, fees or moneys for carrying out the purposes of subdivisions 4 through 7, deposit them in the state treasury, and expend such moneys for carrying out the purposes of these subdivisions.

Code 1950, §§ 3-527, 3-531; 1966, c. 702, §§ 3.1-686, 3.1-690; 1993, c. 115; 2008, c. 860 .