(A) The department of rehabilitation and correction, in accordance with rules adopted pursuant to division (B) of section 5145.03 of the Revised Code, shall determine and direct what lands belonging to institutions under its control shall be cultivated, the crops to be raised, and the use to be made of the land and crops, and may distribute the products among the different institutions. If the crops are distributed to institutions under the control of the department, the department shall keep records of the distributions and of the fair market value of the crops distributed. The department may sell any crops that are not necessary for the institutions under its control to any person. The money received from the sale of the crops shall be deposited in the services and agricultural fund created pursuant to section 5120.29 of the Revised Code. The department may require institutions under its control, when they have proper lands and labor, to undertake intensive agriculture, may rent lands for the production of supplies for any of the institutions that have surplus labor, and may rent lands for the production of crops for sale, when it can be done to advantage.
The department shall pay and assign the prisoners who perform any labor pursuant to this division in accordance with the rules adopted pursuant to division (B) of section 5145.03 of the Revised Code.