17.50 POLICY. The state must explore alternative uses for agricultural products to enable the state’s agricultural economy to reach its full potential. The state must promote and encourage cooperative efforts between public and private interests in conducting basic research and disseminating the results on agricultural commodity utilization. History: 1987 c 396 art 8 s 2
17.51 CITATION; AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES PROMOTION ACT. Sections 17.51 to 17.69 may be cited as the Agricultural Commodities Promotion Act. History: 1969 c 1021 s 1
17.52 PURPOSE. It is hereby declared to be in the interest of the public welfare that Minnesota farmers who produce agricultural commodities for domestic and foreign markets shall be permitted to act separately, or jointly in cooperation with handlers, dealers and processors of such products, with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the University of Minnesota, […]
17.53 DEFINITIONS. Subdivision 1. Scope of application. As used in sections 17.51 to 17.69, the terms defined in this section shall have the following meanings. Subd. 2. Agricultural commodity. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b), “agricultural commodity” means any agricultural product, including, without limitation, animals and animal products, grown, raised, produced, or fed within […]
17.54 COUNCILS. Subdivision 1. Creation. A commodity research and promotion council may be created for the producers of each agricultural commodity by filing with the commissioner a petition requesting that the producers of such commodity be subjected to the provisions of sections 17.51 to 17.69. The petition must be signed by 1,000 producers or 15 […]
17.56 COUNCIL TO FORMULATE AND SUBMIT PROMOTIONAL ORDER. Subdivision 1. Formulation. Within 15 days after certification by the commissioner of its election the first council for producers of a particular commodity shall meet and formulate a promotional order establishing a program for development, promotion, advertising, research, distribution and the expansion of the sale, use and […]
17.57 ADDITIONAL POWERS AND DUTIES OF COUNCIL. Subdivision 1. Adoption of rules. Each council shall at its regular meetings adopt rules consistent with sections 17.51 to 17.69 for the administration of the promotional order. Subd. 2. Budget. Each council shall prepare and submit to the commissioner on a date the commissioner determines an estimated budget […]
17.58 POWERS AND DUTIES OF COMMISSIONER. Subdivision 1. Contracts. A council, with the approval of the commissioner, may contract and cooperate with any person, firm, corporation or association, or with any local, state, federal or international agency or institution, for market development, education, publicity, promotion, research, transportation and advertising within the purposes of sections 17.51 […]
17.59 FEES TO DEFRAY EXPENSES. Subdivision 1. Checkoff fees. For the purpose of providing funds to defray the necessary expenses incurred by the commissioner and the council in formulating, submitting to referendum, issuing, administering and enforcing a promotional order, the promotional order shall provide for checkoff fees in amounts sufficient to defray such expenses, and […]
17.60 COMPENSATION AND EXPENSES. Each member of a council, except the commissioner, shall be entitled to a reasonable per diem, not exceeding the same rate of compensation per day as is authorized for payment to members of advisory councils and committees pursuant to section 15.059, subdivision 3, while engaged in the performance of duties, and […]
17.61 LEGAL COUNSEL. The council may appoint an attorney who shall act for the council and the commissioner when required. The council shall fix the compensation and terms of employment of such attorney. The provisions of chapter 8 shall not apply to this attorney. History: 1969 c 1021 s 11; 1976 c 149 s 62 […]
17.62 COUNCIL RECORDS. All of the records of a council, except as otherwise provided in this section, shall be open to the public and shall be available for inspection by any person for any lawful purpose, provided, however, that the council shall be empowered to make reasonable rules concerning the inspection of the records, the […]
17.63 REFUND OF FEES. (a) Any producer, except a producer of potatoes in area number one, as listed in section 17.54, subdivision 9, a producer of wheat or barley, a producer of canola, or a producer of cultivated wild rice, may, by the use of forms to be provided by the commissioner and upon presentation […]
17.64 TERMINATION OF ORDER. Subdivision 1. By council. The council after consultation with the commissioner and by a majority vote shall suspend or terminate a promotional order whenever it finds, after a public hearing, that an order is contrary to or does not effectuate the purposes or provisions of sections 17.51 to 17.69, provided that […]
17.66 PERMITTED ACTIVITIES. No activity, including meetings, undertaken in pursuance of the provisions of sections 17.51 to 17.69 and intended to benefit the producers, handlers and processors of such agricultural commodity shall be deemed or considered illegal or in restraint of trade. History: 1969 c 1021 s 16
17.67 PENALTY FOR VIOLATIONS. Any person who violates any provision of sections 17.51 to 17.69 or any rule of the commissioner promulgated pursuant to sections 17.51 to 17.69 is guilty of a misdemeanor. Any first handler who fails to make collections or to file a return or to pay any assessment within the time required […]
17.69 NONLIABILITY OF STATE. No liability shall be imposed upon the state of Minnesota for any acts or omissions of the commissioner or any council established pursuant to sections 17.51 to 17.69. History: 1969 c 1021 s 19; 1976 c 149 s 62 subd 2
