The commission shall employ a program coordinator who shall be an employee of the commission but who may be on loan to the commission from any other department of the state. The program coordinator shall be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the commission, and shall receive compensation set by the commission out of funds appropriated by the Legislature to implement the program. The program coordinator shall report to the chairman of the commission or his designee and shall coordinate the activities and provide professional assistance with respect to all of the operations of the program. The program coordinator shall be responsible to the commission for all funds provided by the Legislature and through other sources for the various services to be made available to farmers under this chapter, shall develop a system of reporting on a regular and timely basis to the commission, shall develop training courses and seminars with the guidance of the commission and issue in the name of the commission certificates of training which would qualify various professionals and other providers of services for referral by the commission or any regional offices established by the commission, and shall establish and maintain in the name of the commission liaison and assistance to all agencies of state and federal government, academic institutions and private organizations providing services similar to those provided by the commission. Upon the direction of the chairman of the commission, the program coordinator shall work in conjunction with and under the supervision of such personnel of the Department of Agriculture and Industries as the chairman shall deem appropriate and as shall be approved by the commission, which personnel may include an operational director of the program. The operational director shall be responsible for arranging for availability to the program coordinator of specialists in the fields of farm finance, law, career counseling, technical vocational training and farm extension services for use in meeting its objectives of the program.
Last modified: May 3, 2021