Title 15, AGRICULTURE AND MARKETING

(1) The Washington grain commission replaces the Washington wheat commission and the Washington barley commission. To accomplish this transition, the initial appointments to the Washington grain commission are as follows: (a) Within thirty days of July 26, 2009, the Washington wh…

(1) The director shall appoint the producer members of the commission. (2) Candidates for producer positions on the commission must be nominated to the director in accordance with this section. (3)(a) The director shall mail nominating petitions for producer members not earlier t…

(1) The director shall appoint the industry representative members of the commission. (2) Not later than November 1st preceding the expiration of an industry representative member's term of office, the commission shall, by majority vote of a quorum of the commission, select a qua…

In the event of a vacancy on the commission, the remaining members shall recommend to the director the name of a person qualified for appointment to the vacant position. The director may appoint that person for the position or may reject the candidate and request that the commiss…

If a commission member fails or refuses to perform his or her duties due to excessive absence or abandonment of his or her position or engages in any acts of dishonesty or willful misconduct, a majority of a quorum of the commission may recommend in writing to the director that t…

(1) Any member of the commission also may be a member or officer of an association which has similar objectives for which the agricultural commission was formed. (2) An agricultural commission also may contract with such an association for services necessary to carry out any purp…

(1) The commission shall hold regular meetings, at least quarterly, with the time, date, and place to be determined prior to the new calendar year and published in the state register as required in RCW 42.30.075. (2) The commission may call special meetings as provided for in RCW…

(1) A majority of the voting members constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business and for carrying out the duties of the commission. (2) A member of the commission shall not receive any salary or other compensation from the commission, except that each member of the co…

(1) The Washington grain commission is the successor in interest to the Washington wheat commission and the Washington barley commission and is vested with all powers and duties transferred to it under this chapter and other such powers and duties as may be authorized by law. (2)…

(1) The commission is an agency of the Washington state government subject to oversight by the director. In exercising its powers and duties, the commission shall carry out the following purposes: (a) To establish plans and conduct programs for advertising and sales promotion, to…

(1) The commission shall develop and submit to the director for approval any plans, programs, and projects concerning the following: (a) The establishment, issuance, effectuation, and administration of appropriate programs or projects for the advertising and promotion of wheat an…

(1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, all rule-making proceedings conducted under this chapter must be in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW. (2) Rule-making proceedings conducted under this chapter are exempt from compliance with RCW 34.05.310 and 43.135.055 a…

(1) The commission may receive donations of liquor produced from wheat or barley grown in Washington and may use the liquor for the promotional purposes specified in subsection (2) of this section. (2) The commission may engage directly or indirectly in the promotion of liquor pr…

(1) The restrictive provisions of chapter 43.19 RCW do not apply to promotional printing and literature for the commission. (2) All promotional printing contracts entered into by the commission must be executed and performed under conditions of employment that substantially confo…

(1) All money received by the commission from the assessment levied under this chapter and all moneys transferred to the commission under RCW 15.115.130(2) must be deposited in the banks designated by the commission and disbursed by order of the commission. RCW 43.01.050 does not…

Unless covered by a blanket bond covering officials or employees of the state of Washington, every administrator, employee, or other person occupying a position of trust for the commission and every commission member actually handling or drawing upon funds shall give a bond in th…

(1) Obligations incurred by the commission and any other liabilities or claims against the commission are enforceable only against the assets of the commission and, except to the extent of those assets, liability for the debts or actions of the commission does not exist against e…

Copies of the proceedings, records, and acts of the commission, when certified by the chair, are admissible in any court as prima facie evidence of the truth of the statements contained therein. [ 2009 c 33 s 23.]

(1) Under RCW 42.56.380, certain agricultural business records, commission records, and department of agriculture records relating to the commission and producers of agricultural commodities are exempt from public disclosure. (2) Financial and commercial information and records s…

(1) The commission shall reimburse the department for all costs incurred by the department for actions necessary to carry out this chapter, including the adoption of rules, facilitating or conducting nominations or advisory votes, and the review and approval required under RCW 15…

(1) The commission shall prepare a list of all producers of wheat and a list of all producers of barley, which must include for each producer his or her name and address and the amount, by unit, of wheat or barley produced during the past three years. (2) The commission shall pre…

(1)(a) The initial annual assessments are the amounts most recently approved by referendum by wheat producers and barley producers and effective at the time the grain commission is established: (i) The initial annual assessment on wheat is three-fourths of one percent of the net …

(1) The collection of the assessment made and levied by the commission must be paid by the producer upon all commercial quantities of wheat and all commercial quantities of barley sold, processed, stored, or delivered for sale, processing, or storage by the producer. However, an …

(1) All moneys collected or otherwise received by the commission under this chapter must be used solely by and for the commission and may not be used for any other commission or the department, except as otherwise provided in this chapter. These moneys must be deposited in accoun…

(1) Any funds of the commission may be invested in savings or time deposits in banks, trust companies, and mutual savings banks that are doing business in the United States, up to the amount of insurance afforded those accounts by the federal deposit insurance corporation. (2) Th…

(1) To prove eligibility to vote or hold a position on the commission, each producer must show records of sales of commercial quantities of wheat or barley sold within the past three years if requested by the commission. (2) Each handler shall keep a complete and accurate record …

(1) It is a misdemeanor for any person willfully to: (a) Violate or aid in the violation of this chapter or rules adopted under this chapter; (b) Submit a false or fraudulent report, statement, or record required by the director or the commission under this chapter or rules adopt…