The director may terminate a marketing order or agreement in accordance with this chapter.
(1) To terminate a marketing order or agreement:
(a) The director must receive a petition by affected producers under this chapter signed by at least ten percent of the affected producers; or
(b) A majority of a commodity board may file a petition with the director.
(2) The petitioners must include in the petition at the time of filing:
(a) A statement of why the marketing order or agreement and the commodity board created under it no longer meets [meet] the purposes of this chapter;
(b) The name of a person designated to represent the petitioners; and
(c) The effective date of a marketing order or agreement termination, which may not be less than one year from the date the petition was filed with the director.
(3) Within sixty days of receipt of a petition meeting the requirements of this section, the director shall commence rule-making proceedings to repeal the marketing order or agreement and, subsequently, a referendum on the issue.
(4) The director shall include a copy of a petition to terminate a marketing order or agreement with the notice to affected producers when rule-making proceedings are commenced.
(5) If the petitioners fail to meet the requirements of this chapter, the director shall deny the petition and a referendum vote will not be conducted. The person designated to represent the petitioners shall be notified if a petition is denied.
[ 2002 c 313 § 14.]
NOTES:
Effective dates—2002 c 313: See note following RCW 15.65.020.