The Florida Senate

570.244  Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; powers and duties.--For the accomplishment of the purposes specified in this act, the department shall have all powers and duties necessary, including, but not limited to, the power and duty to:

(1)  Identify and coordinate with all state agencies that can assist in agricultural economic development.

(2)  Administer, with approval of the commissioner, agricultural economic development funds appropriated to the department.

(3)  Identify, develop, and collect sources of funding for the initiation of agricultural economic development projects.

(4)  Facilitate economic growth through the development of agribusinesses such as value-added processing plants and associated enterprises using raw products which are produced in the state.

(5)  Accept, expend, and utilize any gift, grant of money, or property provided to the department.

(6)  Provide assistance pursuant to appropriations for agricultural economic development approved by the Legislature.

(7)  Establish procedures and circumstances for repayment of financial assistance by an assisted agribusiness.

(8)  On or before November 1 of each year, submit an annual report to the chairs of the House of Representatives and Senate committees on agriculture. The annual report shall include, but not be limited to:

(a)  A list of all projects that received assistance during the previous fiscal year, the needs each project was designed to address, the type of assistance provided, and the benefits derived from the assistance.

(b)  The business plans of projects receiving assistance, including the proposed schedule for repayment of funds by assisted agribusinesses.

History.--ss. 4, 10, ch. 91-268; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 13, ch. 92-291; s. 893, ch. 97-103; s. 24, ch. 2001-279.