(a) There is in state government the California Walnut Commission. The commission shall be composed of eight walnut producers who are not handlers, four walnut handlers, and one public member.
(b) Eight producer members, four from each district, shall be elected by producers. In accordance with procedures adopted by the commission, no more than two producers from each district who ship the largest percentage of their walnuts in the preceding marketing year to the same handler may be elected to the commission as members. Producers who ship to two or more handlers in equal percentages shall declare which handler they are affiliated with, for purposes of this section. No producer member shall be connected in a proprietary capacity with a handler.
(c) In accordance with procedures adopted by the commission, four handler members shall be elected on a weighted basis by all handlers to serve on the commission. No handler member shall be connected in a proprietary capacity or in any other manner with any other handler member serving on the commission.
(d) The public member shall be appointed to the commission by the secretary from nominees recommended by the commission.
(e) The secretary and other appropriate individuals as determined by the commission shall be ex officio members of the commission.
(Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 124, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2008.)