The Department shall establish and maintain a laboratory for the following purposes:

1. The diagnosis of infectious, contagious and parasitic diseases of animals, as may be necessary under the provisions of chapter 571 of NRS.

2. The diagnosis of infectious, contagious and parasitic diseases of bees, as may be necessary under the provisions of chapter 552 of NRS.

3. The diagnosis of infectious, contagious and destructive diseases of agricultural commodities, and infestations thereof by pests, as may be necessary under the provisions of chapter 554 of NRS.

4. The survey and identification of insect pests, plant diseases and noxious weeds, and the maintenance of a herbarium, as may be necessary under the provisions of NRS 555.005 to 555.249, inclusive.

5. The testing of pesticides, as may be necessary under the provisions of NRS 555.2605 to 555.460, inclusive, and chapter 586 of NRS.

6. The safekeeping and maintenance of official standards of weights and measures, as may be necessary under the provisions of chapter 581 of NRS.

7. The testing and grading of agricultural products and the testing of the purity and germinating power of agricultural seeds and the testing of the spray residue contained in produce, as may be necessary under the provisions of chapter 587 of NRS.

8. The analysis and testing of commercial fertilizers and agricultural minerals, as may be necessary under the provisions of chapter 588 of NRS.

9. The analysis and testing of petroleum products or motor vehicle fuel, as may be necessary under the provisions of NRS 590.010 to 590.150, inclusive.

10. The analysis and testing of antifreeze, as may be necessary under the provisions of NRS 590.340 to 590.450, inclusive.

11. Any laboratory examinations, diagnoses, analyses or testing as may be deemed necessary by the Director and which can be made with equipment available in any such laboratory. Any resident of this State may submit samples to the Department for examination, diagnosis, analysis or testing, subject to such rules and regulations as may be adopted by the Director.

(Added to NRS by 1961, 501; A 1969, 363, 634; 1971, 1257; 1975, 596; 1993, 1728; 1999, 2850, 3662; 2003, 413, 2147; 2005, 661; 2015, 3608)