80-1-102. Duties of department. The department shall:

(1) encourage and promote the interests of agriculture, including horticulture and apiculture, and all other allied industries;

(2) collect and publish statistics relating to the production and marketing of crops and other agricultural products so far as the information may be of value to the agricultural and allied interests of the state;

(3) assist, encourage, and promote the organization of farmers' institutes, horticultural and agricultural societies, the holding of fairs, livestock shows, or other exhibits of the products of agriculture;

(4) adopt standards for open and closed receptacles for farm products and standards for the grade and other classification of farm products;

(5) cooperate with producers and consumers in devising and maintaining economical and efficient systems of distribution and aid in the reduction of waste and expense incidental to marketing;

(6) have the authority to maintain a market news service, including information as to crops, freight rates, commission rates, and other matters as may be of service to producers and consumers, and act as a clearinghouse for information of value to producers and consumers;

(7) gather and diffuse information concerning the supply, demand, prevailing prices, and commercial movement of farm products;

(8) investigate the practices and methods of factors, commission merchants, and others who receive, solicit, buy, sell, handle on commission or otherwise, or deal in grain, vegetables, or other farm products, so that distribution of the commodities is accomplished efficiently, economically, and without hardship, waste, or fraud;

(9) cooperate with Montana state university-Bozeman, the agricultural experiment station, and the federal government for the betterment of the agricultural industries of the state, the improvement of rural life, and promotion of equality of opportunity for the farmers of the state;

(10) take and hold in the name of the state of Montana property, real and personal, acquired by gifts, subscriptions, donations, and bequests;

(11) sell and dispose of personal property owned by it in a manner the department may provide, when in the judgment of the department the sale or disposal best promotes the purposes for which the department is established;

(12) contract in respect to any matter within the scope of its authority;

(13) enforce this title and all other laws for the protection and regulation of agriculture.