Five members of the Board of Agriculture and Conservation constitute a quorum for the transaction of business or the exercise of a power or function at a meeting of the board.

(a) The Board of Agriculture and Conservation may adopt regulations under AS 44.62 (Administrative Procedure Act) to carry out its duties.

(b) The board may, by regulation, classify loan and marketing information and make some classes of loan or marketing information confidential.

The Board of Agriculture and Conservation may recommend to the commissioner that land in the land disposal bank established under AS 38.04.020 be classified as suitable for agriculture. The board may identify state land for agricultural disposal and request the commissioner to provide for the survey and disposal of the land.

(a) The director of the division of agriculture of the department shall serve as the director of the Board of Agriculture and Conservation. The director may employ staff and, as directed by the board, is responsible for the daily operations of the agricultural revolving loan fund (AS 03.10.040 ).

(b) The director of agriculture shall be appointed to the partially exempt service by the commissioner from a list of two or more candidates submitted by the board. The commissioner may reject all candidates, in which case the board shall submit a new list. The director may be removed by the commissioner at any time, and the office shall remain vacant until a new director is appointed under this subsection.

(a) There is established in the department the Board of Agriculture and Conservation composed of members as set out in AS 03.10.050 (b).

(b) Members of the board serve staggered three-year terms and until a successor is appointed. A member may be removed from office by the governor if the governor first provides a written statement of the reasons for removal to the member and makes the statement available to the public. If a vacancy occurs, the governor shall immediately appoint a member for the unexpired portion of the term.

(c) Members of the board receive no compensation, but are entitled to per diem and travel expenses authorized for boards and commissions under AS 39.20.180 .

(d) While serving on the board, a board member, or an immediate family member of the board member who shares the same household and financial resources with that board member, may not obtain a lease, permit, installment contract, or loan or purchase land under AS 03.10 or under AS 38.05, or have an existing lease, permit, installment contract, or loan under AS 03.10 or under AS 38.05 modified or restructured. Notwithstanding AS 39.52.150 (a), an immediate family member who does not share the same household and financial resources with the board member may obtain a lease, permit, installment contract, or loan or purchase land under AS 03.10 or under AS 38.05 or have an existing lease, permit, installment contract, or loan under AS 03.10 or under AS 38.05 modified or restructured. Notwithstanding AS 39.52.150 (a), a person may be appointed to the board even though, at the time of appointment, that person, or an immediate family member, has a lease, permit, installment contract, or loan under AS 03.10 or AS 38.05. However, that person may not take or withhold any official action that affects the lease, permit, installment contract, or loan of that person or an immediate family member who shares the same household and financial resources with that person. If a person with a lease, permit, installment contract, or loan under AS 03.10 or AS 38.05 is appointed to the board, failure by that person to abide by all the terms and conditions of the lease, permit, installment contract, or loan may be the basis for removal under (b) of this section. For purposes of this subsection, 'immediate family member' and 'official action' have the meanings given in AS 39.52.960 .

(e) The board shall elect a member to serve as chair and a member to serve as vice-chair for one-year terms. A member may be reelected to serve additional terms as chair or vice-chair.