The boards of supervisors in the various counties of the state and the governing bodies in the various municipalities of the state are hereby authorized and empowered, in their discretion, to appropriate money out of the general funds of the counties and municipalities to be used for the purpose of cooperating with the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce in eradicating serious insect pests, rodents, plant parasites, plant diseases and noxious weeds and in protecting the counties and municipalities from serious insect pests, rodents, plant parasites, plant diseases and noxious weeds.