Section 78723 Of Article 7. Continuation Or Suspension And Termination From California Food And Agricultural Code >> Division 22. >> Part 2. >> Chapter 24. >> Article 7.
78723
. (a) Upon a finding by a two-thirds vote of the membership of
the commission that the operation of this chapter has not tended to
effectuate its declared purposes, the commission may recommend to the
secretary that the operation of this chapter be suspended. However,
any suspension shall not become effective until the expiration of the
current marketing season.
(b) The secretary shall, upon receipt of the recommendation, or
may, after a public hearing to review a petition filed with him or
her requesting a suspension signed by 20 percent of the producers and
handlers by number who sold or handled not less than 20 percent of
the total quantity of tomatoes in the immediately preceding marketing
season, hold a referendum among the producers and handlers to
determine if the operations of the commission shall be suspended.
However, the secretary shall not hold a referendum as a result of the
petition unless the petitioner shows by the weight of evidence that
this chapter has not tended to effectuate its declared purposes.
(c) The secretary shall establish a referendum period, which shall
not be less than 10 days or more than 60 days in duration. The
secretary may prescribe additional procedures as may be necessary to
conduct the referendum. At the close of the established referendum
period, the secretary shall tabulate the ballots filed during the
period. If at least 40 percent of the total number of producers and
handlers from the list established by the secretary participate in
the referendum, the secretary shall suspend the operation of this
chapter if he or she finds either one of the following has occurred:
(1) Sixty-five percent or more of the producers and handlers who
voted in the referendum voted in favor of suspension, and the
producers and handlers so voting sold or handled a majority of the
total quantity of tomatoes in the preceding marketing season by all
of the producers and handlers who voted in the referendum.
(2) A majority of the producers and handlers who voted in the
referendum voted in favor of suspension, and the producers and
handlers so voting sold or handled 65 percent or more of the total
quantity of tomatoes in the preceding marketing season by all of the
producers and handlers who voted in the referendum.