CHAPTER 43. COUNTY AND RAILWAY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT FARMS AND STATIONS AND COUNTY DEMONSTRATION WORK - Texas Statutes

AGRICULTURE CODE

TITLE 3. AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND PROMOTION

CHAPTER 43. COUNTY AND RAILWAY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT FARMS AND

STATIONS AND COUNTY DEMONSTRATION WORK

SUBCHAPTER A. COUNTY EXPERIMENT STATIONS

Sec. 43.001. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Director" means the director of the county experiment

station.

(2) "Experiment station" means an agricultural experiment farm

and station established under this subchapter.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1093, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.002. ESTABLISHMENT. In accordance with this subchapter,

the commissioners court of any county may establish and operate

an experiment station in that county.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1093, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.003. PETITION AND ELECTION ORDER. (a) If a number of

qualified voters equal to 10 percent or more of the voters of the

county who voted for governor in the last preceding gubernatorial

election sign and present to the commissioners court a petition

calling for establishment of a county experiment station under

this subchapter, the commissioners court shall order an election

on the proposition to be held on the next uniform election date

that is at least 30 days after the date of the order.

(b) The order must be signed by the county judge. Copies of the

order shall be posted at the door of the county courthouse and at

all post offices in the county.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1094, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.004. APPLICATION OF GENERAL ELECTION LAW. Except as

otherwise provided by this subchapter, the election shall be

conducted in accordance with general law relating to county

elections.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1094, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.005. ELECTION BALLOT. The ballot shall be printed to

provide for voting for or against the proposition: "Establishment

of a county experiment station."

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1094, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.006. ELECTION RETURNS. The election officers shall

certify to the commissioners court the number of votes cast for

each proposition. If the majority of votes are cast in favor of

establishing a county experiment station, the commissioners court

shall declare the result and establish the experiment station in

accordance with this subchapter.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1094, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.007. ACQUISITION OF PROPERTY. (a) The commissioners

court shall acquire an amount of land reasonably expected to

support an experiment station that will produce revenue

sufficient to maintain the station, as determined by the court.

The land and necessary improvements may be acquired either

through donation with good title of land and sufficient houses,

residences, and barns, or through purchase under Subsection (b)

of this section.

(b) If approved at an election conducted under Chapter 1251,

Government Code, the commissioners court may issue bonds or

warrants for the purpose of acquiring land and constructing

buildings and improvements for an experiment station. The

commissioners court may levy and collect a tax sufficient to pay

the annual interest and to provide a sinking fund for the payment

of principal on the bonds or warrants at maturity.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1094, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981. Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 8.201, eff.

Sept. 1, 2001.

Sec. 43.008. LOCATION. The experiment station shall be located

at or as near the county seat as practicable. If no land is

donated for the station within two miles of the county seat, the

commissioners court may acquire land for the experiment station

anywhere in the county, having due regard for the benefits to be

derived from the station.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1094, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.009. SUPERVISION. (a) The experiment station shall be

operated in cooperation with, and in a manner similar to, state

experiment stations. The director of the Texas Agricultural

Experiment Station at College Station shall advise the county in

the operation of the county's experiment station.

(b) The commissioners court shall appoint a director to

supervise the operation of the experiment station and perform

other duties prescribed by the court. In order to serve as

director, a person must be a practical farmer and pass an

examination relating to his or her general knowledge and

education and to his or her knowledge of farming, stock raising,

and other affairs incidental to successful farm life. The

director of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station or that

director's designee shall prescribe and administer the

examination.

(c) The director of a county experiment station is entitled to

compensation of:

(1) a salary set by the commissioners court at not less than $75

a month; and

(2) a residence at the station, free of cost to the director and

his or her family.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1094, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.010. SUPPLIES AND IMPROVEMENTS. The commissioners court

shall supply the experiment station with all necessary buildings,

equipment, and materials and shall provide for needed

improvements. In addition, the commissioners court shall supply

stock, including work stock and cattle for service and breeding

purposes, as necessary to promote the improvement of the farm and

stock raising industry of the county.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1095, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.011. LABOR. With the advice and approval of the

commissioners court, the director may employ labor necessary to

the operation of the experiment station. The county may not

maintain paupers on the experiment station or permit them to work

on the station.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1095, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.012. RECORDS. The director shall keep a complete and

accurate record of:

(1) rainfall, temperature, winds, and general climatic

conditions;

(2) the planting, cultivation, and marketing of all crops; and

(3) the management and observation of the station and the

station's livestock.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1095, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.013. ANNUAL REPORT. The director shall make an annual

report to the commissioners court detailing the methods employed

and results received on the county experiment station. With

approval of the commissioners court, the county shall publish the

report and mail it without cost to each person in the county

engaged in farming. The report shall be mailed to others on

request and to each experiment station in the state, the office

of the commissioner of agriculture, and the United States

Department of Agriculture.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1095, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.014. PUBLIC INSPECTION AND INFORMATION. (a) The

director shall at all reasonable times keep the experiment

station open to public inspection.

(b) The director shall disseminate information to the public

explaining the manner and methods of preparation, soil culture,

cultivation, gathering, preservation, and marketing the products

of the experiment station.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1095, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.015. SALE OF PRODUCTS. (a) In accordance with the

rules of the commissioners court, the director shall market and

sell the products of the experiment station.

(b) The director shall remit proceeds from the sale of products

to the county treasurer, who shall deposit the proceeds in the

general fund of the county.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1095, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.016. EXPENSES. On warrants drawn by the director and

approved by the county judge, the county shall pay all expenses

incurred in the operation of the experiment station, including

the cost of labor and the director's salary, out of its general

funds.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1096, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.017. LEASE OF STATION. (a) The commissioners court may

not lease or allow to be leased an experiment station acquired by

donation.

(b) The commissioners court may lease an experiment station

acquired by purchase under Section 43.007(b) of this code to the

state or to any agency of the federal government under terms

agreed on by the court and the lessor.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1096, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

SUBCHAPTER B. COUNTY DEMONSTRATION WORK

Sec. 43.031. DEMONSTRATION WORK. The commissioners court of any

county may establish and conduct cooperative demonstration work

in agriculture and home economics in cooperation with Texas A

& M University.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1096, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.032. TERMS OF AGREEMENT WITH TEXAS A & M UNIVERSITY.

The demonstration work shall be conducted on terms and

conditions agreed to by the commissioners court and the agents of

Texas A & M University.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1096, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.033. EXPENSES. The commissioners court may employ any

means and may appropriate and expend money as necessary to

establish and conduct demonstration work under this subchapter.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1096, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

SUBCHAPTER C. RAILWAY EXPERIMENT FARMS

Sec. 43.051. ESTABLISHMENT. For the purpose of aiding in the

development of the agricultural and horticultural resources of

Texas, any railway corporation operating in Texas may acquire,

maintain, and operate or cause to be operated demonstration and

experiment farms, orchards, and gardens.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1096, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.052. METHOD OF ACQUISITION. A railway corporation may

acquire a farm, orchard, or garden by lease or purchase.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1096, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.

Sec. 43.053. NUMBER AND ACREAGE LIMITATIONS. (a) A farm,

orchard, or garden established under this subchapter may not

exceed 1,000 acres in size.

(b) A railway corporation may not own or control more than four

farms, orchards, or gardens under this subchapter.

Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 1096, ch. 388, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1,

1981.