Article 1. Declaration And General Provisions of California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 22. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 18. >> Article 1.

The production and marketing of forest products constitute an important industry of this state; the industry provides substantial and necessary revenues for the state and employment for its citizens.

The maintenance of the forest products industry of California is necessary to ensure the public of a continuous supply of forest products and the maintenance of needed levels of income for those persons engaged in the industry.

The production and marketing of forest products produced in this state is hereby declared to be affected with a public interest. This chapter is 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.

No action taken by the commission, or by any individual in accordance with this chapter or with the rules and regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter, is a violation of the so-called Cartwright Act (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 16700) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), the Unfair Practices Act (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 17000) of that Part 2), or any statutory or common law against monopolies or combinations in restraint of trade.

This chapter shall be liberally construed. If any provision of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held to be invalid, the invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this chapter are severable.

It is hereby declared as a matter of legislative determination that members of the commission are intended to represent and further the interest of a particular industry concerned and that this representation and furtherance is intended to serve the public interest. Accordingly, the Legislature finds that, with respect to persons who are elected or appointed to the commission, the particular industry concerned is tantamount to, and constitutes, the public generally within the meaning of Section 87103 of the Government Code.

The forest products industry in this state is expanding. The success and expansion of the industry is uniquely dependent upon effective promotion, public information and education, and research because the creation of new markets is essentially a matter of educating and informing people regarding a previously underrecognized industry. The forest products industry also provides an important source of jobs for many people in this state, a high proportion of whom reside in historically depressed areas of the state, and serves to ensure the preservation of an agrarian society.

The commission form of administration created by this chapter is uniquely situated to provide those engaged in the production of forest products the opportunity to avail themselves of the benefits of collective action in the broad fields of generic product promotion of forest products, public information and education, and research necessary to achieve the purposes stated herein.