(a) There shall be a State Veterinarian who shall be an employee of the Department of Agriculture and shall serve as the chief livestock health official for the state.
(b) The State Veterinarian shall possess and retain during employment a license to practice veterinary medicine in this state. The State Veterinarian shall possess and retain federal accreditation in this state through the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and shall have not less than three years experience in large animal practice.
(c) The State Veterinarian shall (1) act as the official state epidemiologist for animal and poultry diseases, (2) coordinate state and federal governmental agencies and livestock and poultry producers to control diseases, and (3) administer and guide the development and management of disease control and eradication programs performed by the department. The State Veterinarian shall act as liaison with other units in the department, other state agencies and other officials regarding policies concerning disease control and cruelty to animals and shall supervise the quarantine and disposal of animals and poultry condemned because of disease.
(d) The State Veterinarian may issue orders to prevent the spread of contagious and infectious diseases among animals and poultry and may protect the public from such diseases as may be transmissible to human beings, either directly or through the products of such animals.
(e) The State Veterinarian shall annually issue a list of reportable animal and avian diseases and reportable laboratory findings and amend such list as the State Veterinarian deems necessary. The State Veterinarian shall distribute such list as well as any necessary forms and instructions for use in the reporting of such diseases to each veterinarian licensed in this state and to each diagnostic laboratory that conducts tests on animals or birds in this state.
(P.A. 93-205; P.A. 01-12; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(f); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 08-13, S. 2.)
History: P.A. 01-12 made technical changes for the purpose of gender neutrality in Subsecs. (b) and (c) and added Subsec. (e) re annual list of reportable animal and avian diseases; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Department of Agriculture with Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 08-13 amended Subsec. (b) to change State Veterinarian large animal practice experience requirement from 7 to 3 years, effective April 29, 2008.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 22 - Agriculture. Domestic Animals
Chapter 422 - Department of Agriculture
Section 22-1. - Department of Agriculture.
Section 22-1a and 22-1b. - Commissioner, department and council, general terminology change.
Section 22-1c. - Terminology change.
Section 22-2. - Board of Agriculture.
Section 22-3. - Duties of commissioner. Preservation of Connecticut agricultural lands. Definitions.
Section 22-4. - Appointment of commissioner.
Section 22-4a. - Delegation of commissioner's authority.
Section 22-4d. - Cease and desist orders.
Section 22-5. - Deputy commissioner.
Section 22-6. - Powers and duties of commissioner.
Section 22-6a. - Receipt of federal funds and gifts by commissioner.
Section 22-6b. - Refunds of sums paid Department of Agriculture.
Section 22-6f. - Participation in farmers' market coupon programs. Regulations.
Section 22-6g. - Connecticut Farmers' Market/Women, Infants and Children Program: Definitions.
Section 22-6q. - Connecticut Farmers' Market/Senior Nutrition Program.
Section 22-6s. - Operation of food establishment by a farmer at a certified farmers' market.
Section 22-6t. - Voucher value.
Section 22-7. - Administrative civil penalties.
Section 22-7q. - Filing of bond in administrative appeal.
Section 22-8. - Duties of commissioner re avian ecology.
Section 22-9. - Supervision of institutional farms.
Section 22-10. - Reports of moneys expended.
Section 22-11. - Promotion of agricultural interests.
Section 22-11a. - “Integrated pest management” defined.
Section 22-11c. - Aquaculture development: Definitions.
Section 22-11d. - Aquaculture development: Lead agency.
Section 22-11e. - Interagency Aquaculture Coordinating Committee.
Section 22-11g. - Releases from aquaculture systems.
Section 22-11i. - Licensing of aquaculture producers. Regulations.
Section 22-11k. - Ninety-day aquaculture permit application final determinations.
Section 22-12. - Appropriations for promotion of agricultural interests.
Section 22-12a. - Use of term “Connecticut State Fair”.
Section 22-12b. (Formerly Sec. 26-41). - Licensing of fur breeders. Disease control.
Section 22-13. - Employment of minors in agriculture.
Section 22-14. - Birth certificate or agricultural work permit required.
Section 22-15. - Administration. Regulations. Inspection.
Section 22-16. - Employer of more than fifteen affected.
Section 22-17a. - Sanitary regulations concerning agricultural workers.
Section 22-18 to 22-26. - Farmers' loans, generally.
Section 22-26a. - Equine Advisory Council. Members.
Section 22-26b. - Agreement with landowner enrolled in federal Dairy Termination Program.
Section 22-26c. - Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council.
Section 22-26e. - Governor's Council for Agricultural Development and Innovation.
Section 22-26f. - State Veterinarian.
Section 22-26i. - Maintenance, repair and improvement account.
Section 22-26j. - Farm viability matching grant program. Eligibility. Purposes.
Section 22-26k. - Farm transition grant program. Matching grants.