The commissioner is the chief executive charged with the enforcement of all statutes delegating responsibility to the commissioner or the department and shall be vigilant in discovering violations thereof and making complaint to the proper authorities. The commissioner shall by personal observation, investigation and correspondence become acquainted with the methods and wants of practical husbandry, the means of fertilization and the adaptation of various products to the soils and climate of the State and with the progress of scientific and practical agriculture elsewhere, with a view to the more complete development of the natural resources of the State. The commissioner shall gather statistics of information concerning agriculture and publish the same annually. The commissioner shall assist the farmers of the State, in so far as is practicable, to secure farm help and to promote increased production of farm crops through the selection, the growing and the dissemination of superior strains of seeds. The commissioner shall make and preserve a full record of all rules and regulations promulgated under this Title, and all payments and expenses incurred hereunder, and all other transactions performed by the commissioner in the discharge of the commissioner's duties. The commissioner shall collect the legal and usual fees payable to the commissioner by virtue of the office and shall pay them over forthwith to the Treasurer of State.

The commissioner is the chief administrative officer of the department. The commissioner has the following duties in addition to those specified in this section:

1. 1. Budget Prepare a budget for the department.

   [PL 1971, c. 594, §2 (NEW).]

2. 2. Personnel Transfer personnel within the department to insure the efficient utilization of department personnel.

   [PL 1971, c. 594, §2 (NEW).]

3. 3. Purchases Coordinate the purchase and use of all department equipment.

   [PL 1971, c. 594, §2 (NEW).]

4. 4. Review Review the function and operation of the divisions to insure that overlapping functions and operations are eliminated.

   [PL 1971, c. 594, §2 (NEW).]

5. 5. Report Report and make recommendations to the Governor and Legislature with respect to methods of stimulating and encouraging the growth and modernization of agricultural enterprises in this State. The report must be submitted to the Governor and the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agriculture matters no later than December 1st of each even numbered year. For purposes of obtaining information, the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may hold public hearings throughout the State, after giving public notice of the public hearings.

   [PL 1991, c. 837, Pt. A, §13 (AMD); PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5 (REV).]

6. 6. Strategic plan to end hunger Act as the lead among departments and agencies of State Government to implement a strategic plan to end hunger in the State by 2030. The Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, established in Title 5, section 3102, shall provide staffing services to the commissioner as necessary for purposes of this subsection. Strategies must include: The commissioner shall establish an advisory committee to guide the implementation of the strategic plan under this subsection to end hunger in the State. The advisory committee must be composed of members with expertise relevant to the strategic plan to end hunger in the State, including, but not limited to, expertise related to economic development, employment, housing, children’s issues, health care, education, transportation, emergency food and the social safety net as well as expertise that derives from lived experience of poverty and food insecurity. At least 1/3 of the members, or 3 members, whichever is greater, of the advisory committee must be persons with lived experience of food insecurity or generational poverty. The advisory committee shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters, health and human services matters, labor and housing matters, transportation matters and economic and community development matters no later than January 1st of each year until 2030 regarding activities and progress made toward ending hunger in the State by 2030. The joint standing committees may each submit a bill to the Legislature each year relating to the subject matter of the report.

   1. A. Building infrastructure and capacity necessary within and outside State Government to coordinate implementation of the plan to end hunger in the State;

      [PL 2021, c. 677, §1 (NEW).]

   2. B. Ensuring consistent, easy and equitable access to healthy and culturally appropriate food;

      [PL 2021, c. 677, §1 (NEW).]

   3. C. Promoting, supporting and enabling economic security and opportunity for all households in the State;

      [PL 2021, c. 677, §1 (NEW).]

   4. D. Focusing on collective responsibility to amplify the voices of persons experiencing food insecurity;

      [PL 2025, c. 309, §2 (AMD).]

   5. E. Closing the equity gap in household food insecurity by addressing underlying structural inequities; and

      [PL 2025, c. 309, §3 (AMD).]

   6. F. Protecting the right to food as declared in the Constitution of Maine, Article I, Section 25.

      [PL 2025, c. 309, §4 (NEW).]

   The commissioner shall establish an advisory committee to guide the implementation of the strategic plan under this subsection to end hunger in the State. The advisory committee must be composed of members with expertise relevant to the strategic plan to end hunger in the State, including, but not limited to, expertise related to economic development, employment, housing, children’s issues, health care, education, transportation, emergency food and the social safety net as well as expertise that derives from lived experience of poverty and food insecurity. At least 1/3 of the members, or 3 members, whichever is greater, of the advisory committee must be persons with lived experience of food insecurity or generational poverty. The advisory committee shall submit a report to the joint standing committees of the Legislature having jurisdiction over agricultural matters, health and human services matters, labor and housing matters, transportation matters and economic and community development matters no later than January 1st of each year until 2030 regarding activities and progress made toward ending hunger in the State by 2030. The joint standing committees may each submit a bill to the Legislature each year relating to the subject matter of the report.

   [PL 2025, c. 309, §§2-4 (AMD).]

PL 1971, c. 594, §2 (AMD). PL 1973, c. 95, §2 (AMD). PL 1973, c. 598, §1 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 444, §2 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 477, §2 (AMD). PL 1975, c. 584 (AMD). PL 1979, c. 731, §§5-7,19 (AMD). PL 1981, c. 372 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 10, §1 (AMD). PL 1983, c. 308, §§2,14 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 501, §DD18 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 701, §§1,6 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 836, §1 (AMD). PL 1989, c. 878, §B7 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 9, §I6 (AMD). PL 1991, c. 837, §A13 (AMD). PL 1995, c. 693, §4 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. MM, §5 (AMD). PL 2011, c. 655, Pt. MM, §26 (AFF). PL 2011, c. 657, Pt. W, §5 (REV). PL 2017, c. 94, §1 (AMD). PL 2019, c. 310, §1 (AMD). RR 2021, c. 1, Pt. B, §§49-51 (COR). PL 2021, c. 677, §1 (AMD). PL 2025, c. 309, §§2-4 (AMD).