§ 17. Delegation of powers. (a) The commissioner may delegate any of
his powers to, or direct any of his duties to be performed by, a deputy
commissioner or the director of a bureau and, except where it is
otherwise provided in this chapter or the context otherwise requires,
may delegate any of such powers to any officer or employee of the
department.

(b) The commissioner, except when it is otherwise provided in this
chapter or the context otherwise requires, may also delegate to an
officer or employee of the United States department of agriculture,
engaged within this state in joint or cooperative state-federal
programs, any of the powers invested in him by article five of this
chapter for the control, suppression or eradication of communicable
diseases in domestic animals or domestic fowls, any of the powers
invested in him by article five-B of this chapter relative to
ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection of animals slaughtered for food
purposes and processing inspection of meat, meat by-products and meat
food products, any of the powers invested in him by article five-D of
this chapter relative to ante-mortem inspection of poultry slaughtered
for human food, post-mortem inspection of poultry carcasses and
inspection of poultry and poultry products, any of the powers invested
in him by article fourteen of this chapter in the control or eradication
of injurious insects or plant diseases, and any of the powers invested
in him by subdivisions four and five of section sixteen of this chapter
relative to the collection, analysis and publication of primary
statistical data relating to agricultural products of this state. Such
delegation shall be in writing and shall state the specific limits of
the powers so delegated.

(c) Whenever by the education law or other statute the commissioner is
made a member by virtue of his office of the board of visitors, managers
or trustees or other similar body of a state institution, he may in
writing authorize and empower a deputy commissioner, the secretary of
the department or the director of a bureau to act in his place and stead
at any meeting or meetings of any such board or body.