Vermont § 253a - Vermont agricultural commodity marketing boards

§ 253a. Vermont agricultural commodity marketing boards

• (a) The Secretary may at his or her initiative, or upon receipt of a petition from producers
  of a particular agricultural commodity, propose a marketing rule. Any petition shall
  be signed by at least 100 of the producers who would be affected by the rule or at
  least 25 percent of all the producers of the commodity in question, whichever is less. (b) After determining that a valid petition has been filed, the Secretary shall prepare
  and mail a proposed marketing rule. After an opportunity for a hearing, the Secretary
  shall conduct a referendum of the affected producers. The marketing rule shall be
  approved by at least 51 percent of the eligible producers who participate in the referendum
  before it may be adopted. (c) Any marketing rule established under this section shall create a commodity marketing
  board to be appointed by the Secretary. This board shall be made up of persons nominated
  by producers of the affected agricultural commodity and a representative of the Secretary.
  The rule shall establish the number of members of the commodity marketing board, not
  to exceed seven, and shall provide for their terms of office. Commission members shall
  be reimbursed in the same manner as members of the board. (d) Any marketing rule established under this section may contain all the same terms and
  conditions as a rule established under section 253 of this title. Any commodity marketing board established under this section shall have all the
  same powers and duties as the Apple Marketing Board, with respect to the affected
  commodity. (e) Once a marketing rule has been established, it can be amended or terminated at any
  time by the applicable commodity marketing board after approval by 51 percent of the
  voting eligible producers. In addition, 25 percent or more of the eligible producers
  may petition to have a marketing rule amended or terminated after approval of not
  less than 51 percent of producers participating in a referendum vote. (Added 1993, No. 73, § 1, eff. June 10, 1993; amended 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2021, No. 105 (Adj. Sess.), § 54, eff. July 1, 2022.)