East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1917-01-22
STATE DEPARTMENT
OF AGRICULTURE IS
PROVIDED IN BILL
Would Contain Five Divisions, Taking
Over Functions of state Fair BOar,t,
the Food and Diary Commissioner
and Sealer of Weights, Etc.

SALEM, Or, Jan. 19.-A bill pro
vidng for the establishment OF a
state department Of agriculture un-
der which would be five divisions,
taking over the functions of the state
fair board and management the food
and dairy commissioner and his work.
and the work of the deputy state seal
er of weights and measures besides
four minor boards and commissions,
created a stir in the house yesterday
afternoon when it was given its first
reading.
The bill is introduced by Represen-
tative Vernon A. Forbes of Bend.
1t provides for the appointment Of
commissioner of agriculture by the
governor The commissioner must
be man thoroughly competent to
handle the affairs of more or less
technical nature and must give bond
in the sum OF $4,000
Under the commissioner, and APP
pointed by him are to be five direc-
tors, each one especially fitted for his
line Of work, These men are to have
| charge of five divisions, those of dair-
les and pure food, livestock, horticul-
ture, agricultural fairs, and grain and
hay.
Boards Abolished, Functions COntin,
ucd.
The bill would abolish the board of
state fair directors, the livestock san
itary board the board of sheep com
missiOners, the stallion registration
board, the Oregon state board of ag-
riculture, the oregon dairy and food
commissioner and the deputy state
sealer of weights and measures Al
the same time it would continue the
functions of each of these boards and
commissions under the existing laws
except as to the organization of the
departments.
The organization of the agricultural
department is to be completed by the
directors of the five divisions, who
are to appoint their employees with
| the consent of the commissioner, at
salaries that are subject to the ap.
proval of the board of control.
Advisory Boards Retained.
The state fair board, it is provided,
is to be retained as an advisory board
for the director of agricultural fairs
in the management of the state fair,
and the live stock advisory board is to
/ consist of the present livestock sani.
tary board. Each of these advisory
boards is to remain in office during
the terms now provided by law, and
the mempership renewed after that
time by reappointments by the gov
ernor Members of the two advisory
boards are to receive no salary for
their services, but are to be paid their
actual expenses in connection with
work done for the state.
The salaries and expenses of the de-
partment are to be paid out of the
general fund or from special appro-
priations, and fees, except from the
hay and grain division, are to be paid
into the general funds of the state
The hay and grain division fees are to
be paid into separate fund.
Horticultural and Grain Laws Fx-
tended.
In the cases of three of the depart
ments the functions are left practi-
cally as they are now provided by ex.
isting laws for the departments which
now handle those functions. The di.
vision of horticulture. however, ant
the division of ha1 and grain. ar
each given additional powers and du
ties under revised DAVIS
In the horticultural department tn,
bill gives the department authorit,
and requires it to have general su
pervision over the work of education
along horticultural lines, and gives i
= special authority in the matter o
prevention and treatment of insec
pests and plant diseases.
Thorough inspection of both plant
and of horticultural products is pro
vided for
Must FIX Grain and Hay Standards
The division of hay and grain /
given authority to fix standards TO
r grain and hay. Warehouses are class
= flied according to whether they ar
2 terminal warehouses and inspection
points or not A system Of license
5 for grain dealers is provided
t This bill, although it created SOM
amusement when It was read in thi
house yesterday on account of tho