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FRANKFORT (AP) - Seven rifles meant to be given to visiting agriculture officials in 2008 were among property former Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer returned to his former agency.

Attorney Guthrie True of Frankfort, who advises Farmer on matters related to a special audit of his tenure as commissioner, told The Courier-Journal on Wednesday that he advised Farmer to take the guns to the department. Farmer took them when he returned missing state computer equipment.

"Because I thought it was a good idea to eliminate any issue about these, I felt the best thing to do was to return them to the department," True said. "So, to me, that ends the issue."

The weapons were purchased with private donations raised to pay Kentucky's costs for the convention of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture, which Farmer's agency hosted in Lexington, and are not state property, True said. The rifles were left over after the convention ended, he said.

Farmer didn't respond to messages seeking comment.

Farmer's successor, James Comer, requested the special audit within days of taking office at the beginning of the year because of controversies involving purchasing, personnel and management of the department under Farmer. State Auditor Adam Edelen agreed to perform the audit, which is continuing.

Stephenie Steitzer, spokeswoman for Edelen's office, declined Thursday to comment on whether the guns are being examined as part of the audit.

Regarding Farmer's possession of the guns after his term ended last month, True said: "He was the chair of the function, he was the one - he and others - who raised the private money. He was the one who was providing them as gifts to those persons who attended. So he was the one who had custody of them. And they didn't belong to the Department of Agriculture."

Lists of missing property were produced last month after the news media made Open Records Act requests. Missing items included computer equipment and other state property issued to Farmer or his office.

Documents showing that Farmer returned some of the computer equipment were later produced, and The Courier-Journal filed a follow-up request this week seeking documents showing any items Farmer delivered that may not be state property.

The department then released a copy of a receipt given to Farmer on Jan. 17. It listed the computer equipment he returned along with seven serial numbers identified as "Rifles."

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)