79291-79295
FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL CODE
SECTION 79291-79295
79291. (a) Five years after implementation of this chapter, the secretary shall hold a public hearing, after providing proper notice to all persons subject to this chapter and any other persons or entities who have requested, in writing, notice of the hearing, to determine whether the operation of this chapter should be continued. If the secretary finds after the hearing that a substantial question exists among the persons assessed under this chapter regarding whether the operation of this chapter should be continued, the secretary shall submit the chapter to a reapproval referendum to be conducted among producers and handlers to determine whether the operation of this chapter shall be reapproved and continued in effect. (b) If the secretary finds after conducting a hearing that no substantial question exists or, if a reapproval referendum is required, that a majority of the eligible producers and a majority of eligible handlers voting in the referendum voted in favor of continuing the operation of this chapter, the secretary shall so certify and this chapter shall remain operative. If the secretary finds that a favorable vote has not been given, he or she shall so certify and declare the operation of this chapter and the commission suspended upon the expiration of the current marketing season. Thereupon, the operations of the commission shall be concluded and funds distributed in the manner provided in Section 79294. No bond or security shall be required for any such referendum. 79292. Following a hearing, and favorable referendum if required, the process specified in Section 79291 shall be conducted by the secretary every five years thereafter between October 1 and September 30, unless a referendum is conducted as the result of a petition pursuant to Section 79293. In that case, the hearing, and referendum if required, shall be conducted every five years following the industry petitioned referendum. 79293. (a) Upon a finding by a two-thirds vote 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 commission be suspended. Any suspension shall not become effective until the expiration of the current marketing season. (b) The secretary shall, upon receipt of a recommendation, or may, after a public hearing to review a petition filed with him or her requesting such suspension, signed by 15 percent of the producers by number who produced not less than 15 percent of the volume in the immediately preceding marketing season and 15 percent of the handlers by number who handled not less than 15 percent of the volume in the immediately preceding marketing season, cause a referendum to be conducted among the listed 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 effectuated 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 necessary to conduct the referendum. At the close of the established referendum period, the secretary shall tabulate the ballots filed during the period. The secretary shall suspend the operation of this chapter, if the secretary finds the following: (1) At least 40 percent of the total number of producers from the list established by the secretary participate, and that either of the following occurs: (A) Sixty-five percent of the producers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of suspension, and the producers so voting produced a majority of the total quantity of blueberries produced in the preceding marketing season by all of the producers voting in the referendum. (B) A majority of the producers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of suspension, and the producers so voting produced 65 percent or more of the total quantity of blueberries produced in the preceding marketing season by all of the producers voting in the referendum. (2) At least 40 percent of the total number of handlers from the list established by the secretary participate, and that either of the following occurs: (A) Sixty-five percent of the handlers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of suspension, and the handlers so voting handled a majority of the total quantity of blueberries handled in the preceding marketing season by all of the handlers voting in the referendum. (B) A majority of the handlers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of suspension, and the handlers so voting handled 65 percent or more of the total quantity of blueberries handled in the preceding marketing season by all of the handlers voting in the referendum. 79294. After the effective date of suspension of this chapter and of the commission, the operations of the commission shall be concluded and all moneys held by the commission, and moneys collected by assessment and not required to defray the expenses of concluding and terminating operations of the commission, shall be returned upon a pro rata basis to all persons from whom assessments were collected in the immediately preceding current marketing season. However, if the commission finds that the amounts returnable are so small as to make impractical the computation and remitting of the pro rata refund to those persons, any moneys remaining and any moneys remaining after payment of all expenses of winding up and terminating operations shall be withdrawn from the approved depository and paid into an appropriate state or federal program or used to fund activities related to the subject matter of this chapter. 79295. Upon suspension of the operation of this chapter and of the commission, the commission shall mail a copy of the notice of suspension to all producers and handlers affected by the suspension whose names and addresses are on file.