All information that is furnished to or procured by the director of agriculture under sections 917.01 to 917.23 of the Revised Code shall be for the exclusive use and information of the director in the discharge of his official duties and shall not be open to the public or be used in any court in any action or proceeding therein unless the director is a party to such action or proceeding; but such information may be consolidated in statistical tables and published by the director in statistical form, without disclosing details of information furnished by any particular person, for the use and information of other state departments and the public.

The director or any employee of the director and any person assisting the director in the administration of such sections shall not willfully divulge any material information secured while in the employ of the director, with respect to the transactions, property, files, records, or papers of the department, or with respect to the business or mechanical, chemical, or other industrial processes of any person or dealer, to any person other than to the director or to the superior of such employee of the director, or when called upon to testify in any action or proceeding in any court.

Any employee of the director authorized to accept or receive money paid or to be paid to the director shall, before he enters upon the discharge of his duties, execute and file in the office of the secretary of state, a bond in such amount as is fixed by the secretary of state. If surety company bonds are furnished, the premiums thereon shall be paid by the department.

Effective Date: 11-15-1981