Article 3. The California Strawberry Commission of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 22. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 17.5. >> Article 3.

(a) There is in the state government the California Strawberry Commission. Except as provided in subdivision (d), the commission shall be composed of 13 producers, five shippers, five processors, and one public member.
  (b) Except as provided in subdivision (d), producers within the respective districts shall elect one member from District 1, two members from District 2, two members from District 3, two members from District 4, one member from District 5, and five members from District 6. Shippers and processors shall be elected by and from shippers and processors, respectively, on a statewide basis without reference to districts. The public member shall be appointed to the commission by the secretary from nominees recommended by the commission.
  (c) The secretary and other appropriate persons as determined by the commission shall be ex officio members of the commission.
  (d) The commission may modify the number of producers in each district, and shippers and processors who serve on the commission, and may elect producers, shippers, and processors to serve as members at large of the commission. The total number of producer, shipper, and processor members shall not exceed 32.

The director may require the commission to correct or cease any existing activity or function that is determined by the director not to be in the public interest or in violation of this chapter. If the commission refuses or fails to cease those activities or functions or to make corrections as required by the director, the director may, upon written notice, suspend all or a portion of the activities or functions of the commission until such time as the cessation or correction of activities or functions as required by the director has been accomplished by the commission. Actions of the commission in violation of the written notice shall be without legal force or effect. The director, to the extent feasible, shall issue the written notice prior to the commission entering into any contractual relationship affecting the existing or proposed activities or functions that are the subject of the written notice. Upon service of the written notice, the director shall notify the commission in writing of the specific acts that he or she determines are not in the public interest or are in violation of this chapter, and his or her reasons for requiring a cessation or correction of specific existing or proposed activities or functions, and may make recommendations that will make those activities or functions acceptable to the director.

The commission or the director may bring an action for judicial relief from the director's written notice, or from noncompliance by the commission with the written notice, in a court of competent jurisdiction, which may issue a temporary restraining order, permanent injunction, or other applicable relief.

The commission shall reimburse the director for all expenditures incurred by the director in carrying out his or her duties and responsibilities under this chapter. However, a court may, if it finds that the director acted arbitrarily or capriciously in restricting the activities or functions of the commission, relieve the commission of the responsibility for payment of the director's legal costs with regard to that action.

Except for the ex officio members of the commission, an alternate member for each member shall be elected in the same manner as the member. An alternate member, in the absence of the member for whom he or she is an alternate, shall serve in place of the member on the commission. An alternate member may also serve in place of any other absent member of the same classification (producer, shipper, or processor) from the same district if that member's alternate is also absent. However, an alternate may not serve in place of more than one absent member at a meeting. An alternate member serving in place of a member shall have and be able to exercise all rights, privileges, and powers of the member when serving on the commission. In the event of death, removal, resignation, or the disqualification of a member, the alternate for that member, or another alternate of the same classification from the same district if the alternate for that member is absent, shall act as a member on the commission until a qualified successor is elected.

Any vacancy on the commission including, but not limited to, the failure of any person elected to the commission as a member or alternate member to continue in his or her position due to a change in status making him or her ineligible to serve, or due to death, removal, or resignation, shall be filled by the appointment of another person, for the unexpired portion of the term, by a majority vote of the commission. However, the appointee shall fulfill all the qualifications set forth in this article as required for the office he or she is to occupy. The qualifications of any person to fill a vacancy on the commission shall be certified in writing to the director. The director shall notify the commission if he or she determines that the person is not qualified.

A producer member or his or her alternate on the commission shall be an individual, partner, or employee of a producer who has a financial interest in producing, or causing to be produced, strawberries for market. The producer member or his or her alternate shall be so qualified during the entire term of office.

A shipper member or his or her alternate on the commission shall be an individual, partner, or employee of a shipper who has a financial interest in shipping, or causing to be shipped, strawberries for market. The shipper member or his or her alternate shall be so qualified during the entire term of office.

A processor member or his or her alternate on the commission shall be an individual, partner, or employee of a processor who has a financial interest in processing, or causing to be processed, strawberries for market. The processor member or his or her alternate shall be so qualified during the entire term of office.

The public member or his or her alternate on the commission shall have all the powers, rights, and privileges of any other member on the commission. The public member and his or her alternate shall not have any financial interest in the strawberry industry.

The term of office of all members of the commission and alternates, except any ex officio member, shall be two years from the date of their election and until their successors are elected.

The commission shall be and is hereby declared and created a corporate body. It may sue and be sued, enter into contracts, adopt a corporate seal, and has all of the powers of a corporation. Copies of its proceedings, records, and acts, when authenticated, shall be admissible in evidence in all courts of the state, and shall be prima facie evidence of the truth of all statements therein.

A quorum of the commission is a majority of the voting producer members, a majority of the voting shipper members, and a majority of the voting processor members on the commission. Except as provided in Sections 77481.5 and 77499, the vote of a majority of members present at a meeting at which there is a quorum shall constitute an act of the commission.

The director or his or her representatives shall be notified and may attend each meeting of the commission and any committee meeting of the commission. However, the director is not entitled to attend an executive session of the commission called for the purpose of discussing potential or actual litigation against the department.

No member of the commission or of any committee established by the commission, which may include nonmembers of the commission, shall receive a salary. Except ex officio government members, the members may receive an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100) per day, as established by the commission, for each day spent in actual attendance at, or in traveling to and from, meetings of the commission or committees of the commission, or on special assignment for the commission, as approved by the commission, together with the necessary traveling expenses and meal allowances, as approved by the commission.

If the director is required to concur in a decision of the commission, he or she shall indicate his or her response to the commission within 15 working days from notification of the decision. The response may be a request that additional information be provided.

All moneys received by any person from assessments levied under the authority of this chapter or otherwise received by the commission shall be deposited in banks designated by the commission and shall be disbursed by order of the commission through an agent or agents designated for that purpose. Any authorized agent or agents shall be bonded by a fidelity bond, executed by a surety company authorized to transact business in the state, in favor of the commission, in the amount of not less that twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

The state shall not be liable for the acts of the commission or its contracts. Payments of all claims arising by reason of the administration of this chapter or acts of the commission shall be limited to the funds collected by the commission. No member of the commission, alternate member, or any employee or agent thereof, shall be personally liable on the contracts of the commission and no member, alternate member, or employee of the commission shall be responsible individually in any way to any producer, processor, shipper or any other person for error in judgment, mistakes, or other acts, either of commission or omission, as principal, agent, or employee, except for his or her own individual acts of dishonesty or crime. No member or alternate member shall be held responsible individually for any act or omission of any member or alternate member of the commission. The liability of the members and alternate members shall be several and not joint, and no member or alternate member shall be liable for the default of any other member or alternate member.