Michigan § 290.660 - Petition for program or amendment; notice; public hearing; decision by director; producers.

Whenever the director has received a petition signed by 25%, or 200, whichever is less, of the producers of an agricultural commodity regarding the adoption of a marketing program or amendments to an existing marketing program, he or she shall give notice of a public hearing on the proposed marketing program or the proposed amendments to an existing marketing program. After receiving a petition for the establishment of a marketing program, the director may appoint a temporary producer committee to develop the proposed marketing program to be considered at the public hearing.

The director may require all handlers or processors of the agricultural commodity or distributors of the agricultural commodity input as individuals or through their trade associations to file with him or her within 30 days a report, properly certified, showing the correct names and addresses of all producers of the agricultural commodity from whom such handler, processor, or distributor received such agricultural commodity or agricultural commodity input in the marketing season next preceding the filing of such report. The director shall not make public or provide to anyone for private use the information contained in the individual reports of handlers or processors filed with the director pursuant to this section.

The director shall issue a decision within 45 days after the close of the hearing based upon his or her findings and deliver to all parties of record appearing at the hearing and any other interested parties upon the request of those interested parties, by mail or otherwise, copies of the findings and recommendation approving or disapproving of the proposed marketing program. The recommendation shall contain the text in full of any proposed marketing program or amendment of an existing marketing program. The recommendation shall be substantially within the purview of the notice of hearings and shall be supported by evidence taken at the hearing or by documents of which the director is authorized to take official notice.