A. The director or, by delegation, the associate director of a division may appoint ad hoc advisory committees to consider, assist and make recommendations to the associate director or division council on any issue under the division’s jurisdiction. The director or, by delegation, the deputy director may appoint ad hoc advisory committees to consider, assist and make recommendations to the deputy director on any issue relating to the state agricultural laboratory, the office of agricultural safety or the office of inspections.

B. Any agriculture related organization may request the formation of and representation on an advisory committee, and an associate director may request the formation of and nominate advisory committee members to the director, but the actual appointments to the advisory committee are at the discretion and pleasure of the director. Members of advisory committees shall serve without compensation but are eligible for reimbursement for travel and other expenses as provided by law. Advisory committees are public bodies for purposes of Title 38, Chapter 3, Article 3.1.

C. The director shall assign the subjects, conditions, terms of appointments and deadlines for advisory committees to complete their work and may provide for the termination or indefinite continuation of any advisory committee. The associate director, or deputy director, as appropriate, shall make a written response to the advisory committee within fifteen days to each formal recommendation made by the advisory committee.