Upon the finding of 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 director that the operation of this chapter shall be suspended. However, any suspension shall not become effective until the expiration of the current marketing season. The director shall, upon receipt of the recommendation, or may upon a petition filed with him requesting the suspension, signed by 15 percent of the producers by number who produced not less than 15 percent of the volume in the immediately preceding season, and after a public hearing, cause a referendum to be conducted among the listed producers to determine if the operation and the operations of the commission shall be suspended. However, the director shall not cause a referendum to be conducted as a result of the petition unless the petitioner shows by the weight of evidence that the operation of this chapter has not tended to effectuate its declared purposes. The director shall establish a referendum period, which shall not be less than 10 nor more than 60 days in duration. The director is authorized to prescribe additional procedures as may be necessary to conduct the referendum. At the close of the established referendum period, the director shall tabulate the ballots filed during the period. If at least 40 percent of the total number of producers from the list established by the director, participate in the referendum, the director shall suspend the operation of this chapter, if he or she finds either one of the following:
(a) Sixty-five percent or more of the producers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of suspension, and the producers so voting marketed a majority or more of the total quantity of wheat marketed in the preceding marketing season by all of the producers who voted in the referendum.
(b) That a majority or more of the producers who voted in the referendum voted in favor of suspension, and that the producers so voting marketed 65 percent or more of the total quantity of wheat marketed in the preceding season by all of the producers who voted in the referendum.
(Amended by Stats. 1985, Ch. 1004, Sec. 27. Effective September 26, 1985.)