Article 1. Declaration And General Provisions of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 22. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 10. >> Article 1.

The wheat industry in this state is expanding rapidly. It provides over three hundred fifty million dollars ($350,000,000) in farm income annually, increased by almost 20 percent in 1981, and is expected to show continued growth in the future. It is one of California's five biggest agricultural exports. In total production, the state is among the top 10 states nationwide. The industry is a major employer of agricultural labor and is also a source of employment in the transportation, warehousing, and shipping industries.

Opportunity exists for continued expansion, particularly if the industry can develop better varieties more suited to the California climate and the needs of the marketplace. The unique qualities of California wheat need to be promoted to foreign buyers, who purchase most of the wheat grown in this state. Opportunity also exists for increasing sales to domestic customers.

The establishment of a California Wheat Commission is necessary for the efficient development and management of an international sales promotion program, and is essential to ensure that the California wheat industry can compete successfully in the marketplace.

A commission is also necessary to conduct research into the development of varieties more suitable to the export trade, as well as more productive under California growing conditions.

A California Wheat Commission would also be the means for California producers to take a more active role in national wheat organizations and wheat policymaking bodies. Producers in this state lack effective input at the national level, while producers in all other major wheat-growing states have this advantage through their own state commissions.

The production and marketing of wheat produced in this state is hereby declared to be affected with 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 or regulations adopted under the chapter, shall be deemed a violation of the Cartwright Act, the Unfair Practices Act, the Fair Trade Act, or any rule of statutory or common law against monopolies or combinations in restraint of trade.