00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 252                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to the duty of the commissioner of natural resources to administer and                                 
02 supervise promotional and marketing work for agricultural and aquatic farm                                              
03 products."                                                                                                              
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
05    * Section 1. AS 03.05.010(a) is amended to read:                                                                   
06            (a)  The commissioner of natural resources shall, for the purpose of                                     
07       promoting and developing the agricultural industry within the state,                                          
08                 (1)  direct, administer, and supervise                                                                  
09                      (A)  promotional and experimental work, extension services,                                    
10            and agricultural projects for [THE PURPOSE OF PROMOTING AND                                                  
11            DEVELOPING THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRY WITHIN THE STATE                                                        
12            INCLUDING] such fields as horticulture, dairying, cattle raising, fur farming,                               
13            grain production, vegetable production, and development of other agricultural                                
14            products; and                                                                                            

01                      (B)  promotion and marketing of aquatic farm products;                                         
02                 (2)  procure and preserve all information pertaining to the development                                 
03       of the agricultural industry and disseminate that information to the public;                                      
04                 (3)  assist prospective settlers and others desiring to engage in the                                   
05       agricultural industry in the state with information concerning areas suitable for                                 
06       agriculture and other activities and programs essential to the development of the                                 
07       agricultural industry in the state;                                                                               
08                 (4)  review the marketing, financing, and development of agricultural                                   
09       products inside the state including transportation, with special emphasis upon local                              
10       production, and negotiate for the marketing of agricultural products of the state with                            
11       federal and state agencies operating in the state;                                                                
12                 (5)  regulate and control the entry into the state and the transportation,                              
13       sale, or use inside the state of plants, seeds, vegetables, shell eggs, fruits and berries,                       
14       nursery stock, animal feeds, remedies and mineral supplements, fertilizers, and                                   
15       agricultural chemicals in order to prevent the spread of pests, diseases, or toxic                                
16       substances injurious to the public interest, and to protect the agricultural industry                             
17       against fraud, deception, and misrepresentation; in this connection the commissioner                              
18       may require registration, inspection, and testing, and establish procedures and fees;                             
19       and                                                                                                               
20                 (6)  regulate the farming of elk in a manner similar to the manner in                                   
21       which the commissioner regulates domestic animals and livestock, to the extent that is                            
22       appropriate.                                                                                                      
23    * Sec. 2. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to                          
24 read:                                                                                                                   
25       ALASKA GROWN LOGO APPLICABLE TO AQUATIC FARM PRODUCTS.                                                            
26 Under AS 03.05.010 - 03.05.100, to implement AS 03.05.010(a)(1)(B), enacted by sec. 1 of                                
27 this Act, the Department of Natural Resources shall extend its proposed program regulations                             
28 (11 AAC 32.200 - 11 AAC 32.270 or as may be renumbered) establishing and authorizing the                                
29 use of the "Alaska Grown" logo to the production of aquatic farms.