(1) The Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce is hereby authorized and empowered to employ an attorney to represent the department of agriculture and commerce and to fix his compensation subject to the approval of the state personnel board. Said attorney shall be a full-time employee of the department of agriculture and commerce and shall be furnished such office space and clerical assistance as shall be necessary. In addition to his duties with the department of agriculture and commerce, said attorney shall represent the board of animal health, the Mississippi State Fair Commission and the Mississippi Central Market Board. The salary and expenses of said attorney shall be paid from any funds available to the department of agriculture and commerce, the board of animal health, the Mississippi Fair Commission and the Mississippi Central Market Board in a ratio commensurate with the services provided by said attorney to each of the said agencies.
(2) The Department of Agriculture and Commerce, the board of animal health, the Mississippi Fair Commission and the Mississippi Central Market Board are hereby authorized and empowered to expend such sums from any funds available for the purposes of paying the salary and expenses of the attorney provided for in subsection (1).