(1) A vocational agriculture education service area within the office of the superintendent of public instruction shall be established. Adequate staffing of individuals trained or experienced in the field of vocational agriculture shall be provided for the vocational agriculture education service area for coordination of the state program and to provide assistance to local school districts for the coordination of the activities of student agricultural organizations and associations.

(2) The vocational agriculture education service area shall:

(a) Assess needs in vocational agriculture education, assist local school districts in establishing vocational agriculture programs, review local school district applications for approval of vocational agriculture programs, evaluate existing programs, plan research and studies for the improvement of curriculum materials for specialty areas of vocational agriculture. Standards and criteria developed under this subsection shall satisfy the mandates of federally-assisted vocational education;

(b) Develop in-service programs for teachers and administrators of vocational agriculture, review application for vocational agriculture teacher certification, and assist in teacher recruitment and placement in vocational agriculture programs;

(c) Serve as a liaison with the Future Farmers of America, representatives of business, industry, and appropriate public agencies, and institutions of higher education in order to disseminate information, promote improvement of vocational agriculture programs, and assist in the development of adult and continuing education programs in vocational agriculture; and

(d) Establish an advisory task force committee of agriculturists, who represent the diverse areas of the agricultural industry in Washington, which shall make annual recommendations including, but not limited to, the development of curriculum, staffing, strategies for the purpose of establishing a source of trained and qualified individuals in agriculture, and strategies for articulating the state program in vocational agriculture education, including youth leadership throughout the state school system.