Article 4. Shipping Point Advisory Committee of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 16. >> Chapter 1. >> Article 4.

There is in the department a Shipping Point Advisory Committee consisting of nine members. The committee shall be appointed by the director and shall be composed of shippers of fruits and vegetables using inspection and certification services of the department. The director may appoint one additional member on the committee, who shall be a public member. Members of the committee shall receive no salary. Upon the director's request, the committee shall submit to the director the names of three or more natural persons, each of whom shall be a citizen and resident of this state and not a producer, shipper, or processor nor financially interested in any producer, shipper, or processor, for appointment by the director as a public member of the committee. The director may appoint one of the nominees as the public member on the committee. If all nominees are unsatisfactory to the director, the committee shall continue to submit lists of nominees until the director has made a selection. Any vacancy in the office of the public member of the committee shall be filled by appointment by the director from the nominee or nominees similarly qualified submitted by the committee. The public member of the committee shall represent the interests of the general public in all matters coming before the committee and shall have the same voting and other rights and immunities as other members of the committee.

It is hereby declared, as a matter of legislative determination, that shippers of fruits and vegetables appointed to the Shipping Point Advisory Committee pursuant to this article are intended to represent and further the interest of a particular agricultural industry concerned, and that such representation and furtherance is intended to serve the public interest. Accordingly, the Legislature finds that, with respect to persons who are appointed to such committee, the particular agricultural industry concerned is tantamount to, and constitutes, the public generally within the meaning of Section 87103 of the Government Code.

The term of office of the members of the committee is three years. Appointment of the first members shall be made so that the terms of office of three members shall expire at the end of one year and three at the end of two years and three at the end of three years. Thereafter appointment shall be for full three-year terms. Vacancies shall be filled for an unexpired term.

The committee shall be advisory to the director on all matters pertaining to this chapter and shall make recommendations concerning the inspection and certification services rendered, including the annual budget and fees necessary to provide adequate inspection and certification services.

The director shall appoint an alternate for each committee member. In making these appointments, the director shall use the same criteria in selecting alternates as the regular members.

Alternate members shall serve at committee meetings only in the absence of the member for whom the alternate is designated to serve in place of.

Each member of the committee, or any alternate member serving in the absence of a regular member, may, with the approval of the director, be reimbursed for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his or her official duties. However, a member or alternate member may not receive any other consideration for serving on the committee. The reimbursement shall be made at the rate permitted under the rules of the Department of Human Resources.

(a) In order to operate economically and reduce expenses that may adversely impact persons subject to this chapter, on or before May 1 of any year, the committee may request the secretary, and the secretary may utilize any appropriate entity, to supply the field staff, office facilities, and supplies necessary to provide inspection services.
  (b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), the secretary is responsible for the administration of this chapter, the establishment of administrative procedures, and the uniformity, accuracy, and integrity of the inspection.

The secretary may establish rules and procedures to guide the entity described in Section 40577. The procedures may provide for all of the following:
  (a) Employment, training, supervision, and compensation of inspectors.
  (b) Use of existing, and acquisition of additional, equipment and supplies for field or office use.
  (c) Leasing of facilities to support inspection activities.

The committee shall not request that the secretary utilize, and the secretary shall not utilize, an entity a majority of whose officers and employees are persons utilizing services provided by the department pursuant to this chapter.

The entity shall keep an accurate record of expenses incurred in performing its responsibilities. Those records shall be available for audit during regular business hours upon request of the secretary.

The secretary may require an entity to correct or cease any activity or function that is determined by the secretary not to be in the public interest, or that is in violation of this chapter, and shall notify the entity in writing of these specific acts.

The secretary shall reimburse the entity for its actual and necessary expenses upon receipt of an invoice approved by the secretary.