Tasks of the Department are as follows:
- policy development and implementation (coordination) in the following agriculture-related areas: crop production (incl. co-existence of genetically modified crops with conventional and organic agriculture), tractors, animal husbandry, pedigree breeding, milk quota system, recoding and registration system of agricultural animals, seed breeding, seed marketing, movement of plant propagation material, protection of breeders’ rights, chain of plant fertilizers, reduction of pollution caused by agricultural activity, genetic resources of plants and animals used for agriculture and food, greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture, impact of climate changes on agriculture, plant protection;
- drafting of legal acts, working out positions, instructions and viewpoints on the European Union documents and legislation as well as on positions of other European Union Member States and documents prepared by international organizations in the abovementioned areas of competence;
- drawing up the development supporting policy in the areas of the Department’s competence;
- assessment and ordering of research on themes necessary for agricultural policy and strategy;
- providing opinions on legal acts drafted by other Departments of the Ministry of Agriculture and other Ministries in Latvia;
- representation of interests of the Ministry of Agriculture in national and international institutions as well as defending of Latvia’s position in the national and the European Union working groups and in international organizations.