There is established within the Department of Agriculture a program to purchase and acquire shell or other cultch material for deposit on state shellfish beds. The program shall also include the purchase of management supplies, materials and spawn oyster stock. Pursuant to such program, the Commissioner of Agriculture may contract for the use of a shell recovery vessel to collect and deposit shell on shellfish beds. Additionally, under such program, the department may receive and deposit on shellfish beds cultch from oyster shell recycling programs administered or authorized by the department.