Article 1. Declaration And General Provisions of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 22. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 7. >> Article 1.

The pistachio industry in this state is expanding and has the potential to constitute one of California's principal nut crops. The industry can provide an important source of employment for many people in the state, a high proportion of whom are from underprivileged and historically deprived segments of the population.

As an exotic nut crop developed in the Mideast, the pistachio is not heavily consumed in this country or abroad. Opportunity exists for continued growth and expansion of the industry, by creating new markets in such areas. The success of such an expansion program is uniquely dependent upon effective advertising and promotion both domestically and in foreign countries, since the creation of new markets is essentially a matter of educating people to the use of a previously unknown or unrecognized food.

The establishment of a California Pistachio Commission is necessary for the efficient development and management of a national and international advertising and promotion program, and essential to ensure that the California pistachio industry can compete successfully in the world marketplace and reduce the spread between consumer cost and the amount received by the producer.

The production and marketing of pistachios produced in this state is hereby declared to be affected with a public interest. The provisions of this chapter are enacted in the exercise of the police power of this state for the purpose of protecting the health, peace, safety, and general welfare of the people of this state.

A commission form of administration created by this chapter is designed to deal with the broad fields of advertising, promotion, marketing research, and production research.

No action taken by the commission, nor by any individual in accordance with this chapter or with rules and regulations adopted under the chapter, shall be deemed a violation of the Cartwright Act, the Unfair Practices Act, the Fair Trade Act, Section 1673 of the Civil Code, or any rule of statutory or common law against monopolies or combinations in restraint of trade.

This chapter shall be liberally construed. The provisions of this chapter are severable. If any provision of this chapter or its application is held invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications that can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.