Chapter 55 Oregon Laws 2007

 

AN ACT

 

HB 2292

 

Relating to bodies promoting agricultural products; amending ORS 576.066, 576.206, 576.372 and 577.210 and sections 79, 84, 90 and 94, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003.

 

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

 

          SECTION 1. ORS 576.066, as amended by section 29, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, is amended to read:

          576.066. (1) The State Department of Agriculture shall:

          [(1)] (a) Monitor the practices or methods used or proposed for use by any commodity commission in carrying out the goals and needs disclosed by the budget of the commission;

          [(2)] (b) Promote cooperation among the several commissions, the Oregon Beef Council and the Oregon Wheat Commission and assist in the interchange of information and experience among those entities;

          [(3)] (c) Carry out the assigned organizational procedures under ORS 576.051 to 576.455, including the appointment and removal of members of the commission;

          [(4)] (d) Review budgets submitted to the Director of Agriculture by a commodity commission under ORS 576.416; and

          [(5)] (e) Adopt rules to carry out the provisions of ORS 576.051 to 576.455.

          (2) The department shall review, and may approve or disapprove, plans and projects recommended by a commodity commission for commodity promotion, advertising and research and for the dissemination of consumer and commodity industry information. In reviewing plans and projects recommended by a commodity commission, the department shall consider whether the plan or project information is:

          (a) Factual;

          (b) Not disparaging to other commodities; and

          (c) Consistent with the purposes of ORS 576.051 to 576.455.

 

          SECTION 2. ORS 576.206, as amended by section 5, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, is amended to read:

          576.206. (1) Upon the establishment of a commodity commission, the Director of Agriculture shall appoint five temporary members to the commission. In appointing the temporary members, the director shall give consideration to any recommendations by other commodity commissions, commodity growers and commodity grower associations. A majority of the temporary members must be producers of the commodity that is the subject of the commission and at least one member must be a handler of the commodity.

          (2) The temporary members shall adopt rules for the commission in accordance with ORS chapter 183, including but not limited to rules establishing the number and geographic representation of the commissioners and rules providing for the removal of commissioners. The terms of the temporary members expire on the date that one or more commissioners are appointed under subsection (3) of this section. A qualified temporary member is eligible for appointment to a term on the commission under subsection (3) of this section.

          (3) The director shall appoint the commissioners for a commodity commission in accordance with the rules adopted under subsection (2) of this section. In appointing the commissioners, the director shall give consideration to any recommendations by other commodity commissions, commodity growers and commodity grower associations.

          (4) A majority of the commissioners must be producers of the commodity that is the subject of the commission. At least one commissioner must be a handler of the commodity. One commissioner must be a member of the public not associated with the production or handling of the commodity. All commissioners other than handlers and the member of the public must be producers.

          (5) The term of a commissioner appointed under subsection (3) of this section is four years unless a shorter term is established by commission rule. A commissioner is eligible for reappointment unless otherwise provided by commission rule. Before the expiration of a commissioner’s term, the director shall appoint a successor to assume office upon expiration of the term. If there is a vacancy on a commission for any cause, the director shall appoint a person to the unexpired term.

          (6) The commission shall select one member to serve as chairperson and another member to serve as vice chairperson, with such duties and powers as the commission deems appropriate to those offices.

          (7) A temporary member of a commission or a commissioner is entitled to compensation and expenses in the manner and amounts provided in ORS 292.495. Claims for compensation earned and expenses incurred in performing the functions of the commission shall be paid out of funds available to the commission.

 

          SECTION 3. ORS 576.372, as amended by section 23, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, is amended to read:

          576.372. (1) In addition to any refund permitted under ORS 576.325, the Oregon Alfalfa Seed Commission and the Oregon Grains Commission may adopt rules that provide for the commodity commission adopting the rule to refund all or part of a commodity assessment levied by the commission upon request of the person paying the assessment. A rule adopted under this subsection may not provide for a commission to refund an amount less than the portion of the assessment used by the commission for advertising and product promotion.

          (2) If a commission adopts rules pursuant to subsection (1) of this section:

          (a) Plans and projects recommended by that commission are exempt from State Department of Agriculture review and approval or disapproval under ORS 576.066 (2); and

          (b) Notwithstanding ORS 576.206, the commission may vote to eliminate the position for a commissioner who is a member of the public.

 

          SECTION 4. ORS 577.210, as amended by section 61, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, is amended to read:

          577.210. (1) As used in this section:

          (a) “Beef producers” means persons who raise, breed or grow cattle or calves for beef production.

          (b) “Dairy producers” means persons engaged in the production on a dairy farm of fluid milk.

          (c) “Handler” means a person actively engaged in the processing, slaughtering, handling or marketing of cattle.

          (2) There hereby is created the Oregon Beef Council composed of:

          (a) Two dairy producers.

          (b) Three beef producers.

          (c) One person actively engaged in the business of feeding cattle and usually operating a feedlot.

          (d) One handler.

          (e) One public member not associated with the producing, feeding or handling of cattle and having an active interest in the positive economic development of the beef industry.

          (3) The Director of Agriculture shall appoint the voting members of the council. In making such appointments, the director shall take into consideration nominations and recommendations made to the director by organizations who represent or who are engaged in the same type of production or business as the person so nominated or recommended for appointment as a member of the council. Each member shall continue in office until a successor is appointed and qualified.

          (4) The director, or a duly authorized representative of the director, and the Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences of Oregon State University, or a duly authorized representative of the dean, shall be ex officio members of the council, without the right to vote.

          (5) The public member of the council, the director and the dean, or the authorized representative of the director or the dean, are not subject to the requirements of ORS 577.220 (3) and (4) and 577.240 (1).

 

          SECTION 5. Section 79, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, is amended to read:

          Sec. 79. The amendments to [section 77 of this 2003 Act] ORS 578.216 by section 78, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, [of this 2003 Act] become operative [March 1, 2009] January 2, 2010.

 

          SECTION 6. Section 84, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, is amended to read:

          Sec. 84. The amendments to [section 82 of this 2003 Act] ORS 578.025 by section 83, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, [of this 2003 Act] become operative [March 1, 2009] January 2, 2010.

 

          SECTION 7. Section 90, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, is amended to read:

          Sec. 90. The amendments to ORS 578.030 by section 89, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, [of this 2003 Act] become operative [March 1, 2009] January 2, 2010.

 

          SECTION 8. Section 94, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, is amended to read:

          Sec. 94. The amendments to ORS 578.040 by section 93, chapter 604, Oregon Laws 2003, [of this 2003 Act] become operative [March 1, 2009] January 2, 2010.

 

Approved by the Governor April 17, 2007

 

Filed in the office of Secretary of State April 17, 2007

 

Effective date January 1, 2008

__________