Arizona Department of Agriculture - Sunset Factors

This report provides information on the 12 sunset factors the Legislature is to consider in determining whether to continue the Department of Agriculture (Department). The report notes that the Department is generally effective in meeting its overall objective and purpose. The report also recommends that the Department improve its guidance and oversight for complex complaint investigations of reported livestock cruelty, neglect, or abuse. The Department could do this by establishing guidelines for when to involve its Office of Special Investigations in a complaint, establishing time frames for key steps in the complaint-handling process, and as resources are available, modifying its complaint-handling database and using it to periodically monitor its inspectors’ timeliness in conducting investigations.