KRS 248.709: Duties of board.

The board's duties shall include but not be limited to:

(1) Administering the agricultural development fund, except as provided in KRS

248.717(2);

(2) Receiving requests and applications for funds and authorizing the distribution of

funds. The board may receive applications from institutions of public postsecondary

education for financial and technical assistance in conducting alternative crop

development research. The board shall assist the applicants in obtaining any

necessary federal permits that may be required to conduct alternative crop research.

A recipient i nstitution shall report the status and progress of the alternative crop

development research to the board, the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture, and

the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee. The board shall

promulgate administrative regulations relating to growing and researching

alternative crops at the selected postsecondary institution, and shall adopt any

applicable federal regulations;

(3) Developing guidelines and criteria for eligibility for and disbursement of funds, the

types of direct and indirect economic assistance to be awarded, and procedures for

applying for funds and reviewing applications for assistance;

(4) Ensuring that each county agricultural development council's plans and county

recommendations and applications r eceive major consideration in decisions on use

of a county's funds;

(5) (a) Completing a comprehensive plan and updating the plan no less than every

ten (10) years.

(b) The comprehensive plan shall propose short -term and long -term goals,

strategies, and investments in Kentucky agriculture that will assist farmers in

remaining competitive in existing and new enterprises. The comprehensive

plan shall identify a diversified mix of enterprises that are profitable to

farmers and shall determine the investments n ecessary to support the viability

of those enterprises. The plan shall be reviewed by the General Assembly and

the subcommittee created in KRS 248.723. The subcommittee may issue

comment on the plan. However, the board may act without General Assembly

approval.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of 2000 Ky. Acts ch. 546, immediate funding

needs may be addressed and funded before a comprehensive or strategic plan

is completed. Proposals from an applicant may be approved by the board if

they meet the criteria established in KRS 248.713;

(6) Preparing a biennial budget request in accordance with KRS Chapter 48;

(7) Working with other governmental agencies to maximize the financial and economic

impact that the programs implemented by the board will have and to maximize

receipt of federal and other funds to the agriculture community in the

Commonwealth;

(8) Promulgating ad ministrative regulations relating to carrying out the purposes of

KRS 248.701 to 248.727;

(9) Hiring an executive director to carry out the will of the board and who shall report

solely to the Commissioner;

(10) Ensuring the necessary mechanisms are in place for the committees created by KRS

248.715 to function effectively;

(11) Contracting with other persons or entities if necessary to effectuate the board's

purposes and functions;

(12) Enacting bylaws concerning the conduct of the board's business and oth er

administrative procedures as the board deems necessary;

(13) Developing criteria to evaluate the success of the board's programs and

expenditures to applicants. The criteria shall be simple, easily measured, and easily

understood. Criteria should includ e number of families farming, increases in farm

income attributable to state programs, the number of diversified operations, and the

number of different types of diversified efforts within a county, including the

efforts that have failed;

(14) Providing re ports of each meeting, along with expenditures approved or denied,

within thirty (30) days of the meeting, to the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund

Oversight Committee created by KRS 248.723. These reports shall contain detailed

information relating to eac h expenditure by the board and detailed information on

each application for funding a project or initiative by the board and decision by the

board regarding each proposal, except information that may violate confidentiality.

This information shall be provi ded by electronic format as prescribed by the

Legislative Research Commission;

(15) Submitting an annual written report to the Governor, the Commissioner of

Agriculture, the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee, and

the Legislative Researc h Commission regarding the administrative, financial, and

programmatic activities of the board;

(16) Making recommendations to the General Assembly through the Legislative

Research Commission on possible adjustments to the funding formula for county

allocations and the percent allocated to counties as provided in KRS 248.703; and

(17) Making, participating in the making, purchasing, or participating in the purchasing

of insured mortgage or other types of loans to qualified applicants for the purpose

of incentives awarded under KRS 246.605.