ORS § 576.620
In addition to such other duties as may be prescribed by law, the State Department of Agriculture shall perform mediation services for producers and handlers involved in agricultural marketing disputes in the manner provided in ORS 576.610 to 576.650. Subject to any applicable provision of the State Personnel Relations Law, the Director of Agriculture may appoint such employees as the director considers necessary to perform the mediation services required by ORS 576.610 to 576.650. In addition to or in place of any permanent employees appointed to perform mediation services, the director may appoint persons, on a temporary basis, to perform such services. Such temporary employees serve at the pleasure of the director, and need not be members of the classified service, as defined in ORS 240.210. The director may set the hours, salaries, expense allowances and other terms and conditions of employment of such temporary employees. Any person designated to act for the director in a mediation proceeding shall be a disinterested person who is not a producer or handler of the commodity involved in the dispute, or interested in the ownership or management of such a producer or handler.
ORS 576.620