AGRICULTURE CODE
CHAPTER 43. COUNTY AND RAILWAY AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT FARMS AND
STATIONS AND COUNTY DEMONSTRATION WORK
SUBCHAPTER A. COUNTY EXPERIMENT STATIONS
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
Amended by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, § 8.201, eff. Sept. 1,
2001.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
SUBCHAPTER B. COUNTY DEMONSTRATION WORK
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
SUBCHAPTER C. RAILWAY EXPERIMENT FARMS
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
§ 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, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1981.
