Title FAC — California Food & Agric. Code

The commission may publish and distribute, without charge, a bulletin or other communication for dissemination of information to producers and handlers.

The commission shall establish an assessment rate to defray operating costs of the commission.

The commission shall establish an annual budget according to accepted accounting practices. The budget shall be concurred in by the secretary prior to disbursement of funds, except for disbursements made pursuant to Section 77286.

The commission shall submit to the secretary for his or her concurrence, an annual statement of contemplated activities authorized pursuant to this chapter.

The commission and the secretary shall keep confidential and shall not disclose, except when required in a judicial proceeding, all lists of producers and handlers in their possession.

The commission may investigate and prosecute civil violations of this chapter and file complaints with appropriate law enforcement agencies or officers for suspected criminal violations of this chapter.

(a) Within 30 days of the effective date of this chapter, the secretary shall have established a list of producers and handlers eligible to vote on implementation of this chapter. In establishing the list, the secretary may require that producers, handlers, and others submit the …

This chapter, except as necessary to conduct an implementation referendum vote, shall not become operative until the secretary finds as follows in a referendum vote conducted by the secretary: (a) At least 40 percent of the total number of producers from the list established by t…

The secretary shall use fresh weight in calculating the volume voted pursuant to Section 77312. For converting dry weight and seed weight to fresh equivalent weight the secretary shall use the following ratios: 5.3 to 1 for dry weight and 220 to 1 for seed weight.

The secretary shall establish a period in that to conduct the referendum which shall not be less than 10 days nor more than 60 days in duration, and may prescribe additional procedures that may be necessary to conduct the referendum. If the initial period established is less than…

Nonreceipt of a ballot shall not invalidate a referendum.

If the secretary finds that a favorable vote has been given as provided in Section 77312, the secretary shall certify and give notice of the favorable vote to all affected producers and handlers whose names and addresses are on file with the secretary.

If the secretary finds that a favorable vote has not been given as provided in Section 77312, the secretary shall certify and declare this chapter inoperative. The director may conduct another implementation referendum vote one year or more after the previous vote has been taken.

Upon certification of the commission, the secretary shall do the following: (a) Contact all producers in each district by mail or call meetings of producers in each district for the purpose of nominating and electing persons to the commission. All producers on the secretary’s lis…

Subsequent to the first election of members of the commission pursuant to this chapter, persons to be elected to the commission shall be selected pursuant to nomination and election procedures that are established by the commission with the concurrence of the secretary.

(a) Prior to the referendum vote conducted by the secretary pursuant to Section 77312, the proponents of the commission shall deposit with the secretary the amount that the secretary deems necessary to defray the expenses of preparing the necessary lists and information and condu…

(a) The commission shall establish the assessment for the following marketing year not later than March 1 of each year, or as soon thereafter as is possible. (b) The assessment for the 1989–90 marketing year shall not exceed twenty-five cents ($0.25) per ton for producers and twe…

(a) Unless specified otherwise, this chapter does not apply to persons who grow peppers only for the producer’s home use or who grow or produce less than the number of acres or tons established pursuant to Section 77230 of fresh peppers, or the equivalent in dry peppers or pepper…

Every person who handles peppers in California, including persons who handle less than the tonnage threshold established pursuant to Section 77226, shall keep a complete and accurate record of all peppers handled with the name of the producer whose peppers were handled. The recor…

(a) All proprietary information obtained by the commission or the director from producers or handlers is confidential and shall not be disclosed except when required in a judicial proceeding. (b) Information on volume shipments, product value, and any other related information wh…

Any assessment which is levied as provided for in this chapter is a personal debt of every producer and handler so assessed.

Every handler shall be personally liable for the payment of collected assessments to the commission. Failure of a handler to collect the assessment shall not exempt the handler from liability and shall not relieve any person subject to this chapter from the obligation to pay the …

Any producer or handler who fails to file a return or pay any assessment within the time required by the commission shall pay to the commission a penalty of 10 percent of the amount of the assessment determined to be due and, in addition, pay 11/2 percent interest per month on th…

When the producer or handler is a corporation, all of the directors and officers of the corporation in their capacity as individuals shall be included, and any liability for violating this chapter, including but not limited to, failing to pay assessments or to collect assessments…

It is unlawful for any person to do any of the following: (a) Refuse to render a report, statement, or record required by the commission. (b) Furnish a false report, statement, or record required by the commission. (c) When engaged in the handling of peppers, to fail or refuse to…

The commission shall establish procedures for the purpose of according individuals aggrieved by its actions or determinations an informal hearing before the commission, or before a committee of the commission designated for this purpose. Appeals from decisions of the commission m…

(a) The commission may commence civil actions and utilize all remedies provided in law or equity for the collection of assessments and civil penalties and for the obtaining for injunctive relief or specific performance regarding this chapter and the rules and regulations adopted …

Termination of this chapter shall not affect or waive any right, duty, obligation, or liability which has arisen or which may thereafter arise in connection with this chapter, release or extinguish any violation of this chapter, or affect or impair any right or remedies of the co…

Between May 1, 1993, and April 30, 1994, the commission shall cause a referendum to be conducted among producers and handlers to determine whether the operations of this chapter shall be approved and continued in effect. A favorable vote under this chapter shall be found if the s…

Following a favorable referendum conducted prior to April 30, 1994, a referendum shall be conducted by the commission every fifth year thereafter unless a referendum is conducted as the result of a petition pursuant to this article. In that case, the referendum shall be every fif…

(a) Upon a finding by a two-thirds vote of the full commission that the operation of this chapter has not tended to effectuate its declared purposes, the commission may recommend to the secretary that the operation of this chapter be suspended. However, any suspension shall not b…

(a) The secretary shall terminate the commission at the end of the then current marketing year if the director finds that the termination of the commission is requested in writing, within a 90-day period, by at least 51 percent of the eligible producers that produce at least 51 p…

After the effective date of suspension, the operation of the commission shall be concluded and any and all funds remaining held by the commission and not required to defray the expenses of concluding and terminating operations of the commission, shall be returned upon a pro rata …

Upon suspension of the operation of this chapter, the commission shall mail a copy of the notice of suspension to all persons affected by the suspension whose names and addresses are on file.