There is hereby established within the Department of Agriculture an advisory committee composed of nine members as follows: the Director of the Bureau of Rural Affairs of the Department of Agriculture who shall be chairman, the Secretary of General Services or his designee, the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, the Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee and five farmers appointed from a list of names submitted to the secretary by chartered farm organizations. The terms of the farmer members shall be for six years. Of the initial appointments, two farmer members shall serve for a term of two years, two for a term of four years and one for a term of six years. The initial appointments of farmer members shall be for terms of two, four and six years. No business may be transacted by the committee in the absence of a quorum which consists of five members. The advisory committee shall advise the Secretary of Agriculture as to appropriate actions consistent with sound husbandry, efficient management of resources and decisions consistent with the Commonwealth's policy of agricultural preservation of lands administered by the Department of Agriculture under the provisions of this act. The secretary and the committee shall annually file a report at the end of the fiscal year with the Governor and the members of the General Assembly.