No member of the committee or officer or employee of the Department of Agriculture or the Department of Commerce¹ or member or employee of an area loan organization shall either directly or indirectly be a party to or be in any manner interested in any contract or agreement under this act for any matter, cause or thing whatsoever by reason whereof any liability or indebtedness shall in any way be created against the Commonwealth, provided that nothing herein shall prohibit a commercial lending institution or a farm credit association from either directly or indirectly being a party to or being in any manner interested in any such contract or agreement if one of its officers is a member of the committee as long as such officer declares his conflict of interest and refrains from participating in any deliberation or vote on, or other action regarding, such contract or agreement. If any contract or agreement shall be made in violation of this section, the same shall be null and void and no action shall be maintained thereon against the Commonwealth.