Any importer organization may request the Secretary for certification of eligibility to participate in nominating members and alternate members to represent cotton importers on the Cotton Board. Such eligibility shall be based, in addition to other available information, upon a factual report submitted by the organization which shall contain information deemed relevant and specified by the Secretary for the making of such determination, including the following:
(a) Nature and size of organization's active membership, proportion of total active membership accounted for by cotton importers and the total amount of cotton imported by the organization's cotton importer members;
(b) The extent to which the cotton importer membership of such organization is represented in setting the organization's policies;
(c) Evidence of stability and permanency of the organization;
(d) Sources from which the organization's operating funds are derived;
(e) Functions of the organization; and
(f) The organization's ability and willingness to further the aims and objectives of the Act.
The primary consideration in determining the eligibility of an organization shall be whether its membership consist of a sufficient large number of cotton importers who import a relatively significant volume of cotton to reasonably warrant its participation in the nomination of members for the Cotton Board. Any importer organization found eligible by the Secretary under this § 1205.342 will be certified by the Secretary, and the Secretary's determination as to eligibility is final.
[56 FR 64475, Dec. 10, 1991]