(1) There hereby is created within the State Department of Agriculture the office of State Veterinarian of the State of Oregon. The State Veterinarian shall be appointed by the Director of Agriculture. The State Veterinarian shall be the chief livestock sanitary official of the state. The department may also employ such assistant state veterinarians as may be necessary to carry out its functions.
(2) The State Veterinarian and all assistant veterinarians employed by the department shall be graduates of a school of veterinary medicine accredited or approved by the Oregon State Veterinary Medical Examining Board.