There shall be a Vermont Milk Commission, to consist of nine members, one member of which shall be the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets. The Secretary shall be Chair of the Commission and serve without compensation. A quorum shall be a majority of the Commission. The Commission shall act only by an affirmative vote of at least six members. The remaining Commission members shall serve for terms of three years, except for the legislative members who shall serve for the term of their election, and be chosen as follows:
(1)Each dairy farmer cooperative, and each proprietary handler purchasing milk from independent farmers, doing business in the State and registered with the Secretary of State’s office shall submit the name of a Vermont dairy farmer with knowledge of the production a
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There shall be a Vermont Milk Commission, to consist of nine members, one member of which shall be the Secretary of Agriculture, Food and Markets. The Secretary shall be Chair of the Commission and serve without compensation. A quorum shall be a majority of the Commission. The Commission shall act only by an affirmative vote of at least six members. The remaining Commission members shall serve for terms of three years, except for the legislative members who shall serve for the term of their election, and be chosen as follows:
(1) Each dairy farmer cooperative, and each proprietary handler purchasing milk from independent farmers, doing business in the State and registered with the Secretary of State’s office shall submit the name of a Vermont dairy farmer with knowledge of the production and marketing of dairy products to the Vermont Dairy Industry Association. The Board of Directors of the Association shall submit the names of four of these persons to the Governor, who shall appoint two Commission members from the list submitted. The initial appointment of one of these members shall be for a term of two years.
(2) Each milk handler doing business in the State and registered with the Secretary of State’s office shall submit the name of one such handler with knowledge and experience in the marketing of dairy products to the Vermont Dairy Industry Association. The Board of Directors of the Association shall submit three names to the Governor, who shall choose one Commission member from the list provided. In compiling the lists under subdivisions (1) and (2) of this section, the Board shall consider whether the persons chosen sell their milk to or are handlers who purchase a substantial percentage of their milk from Vermont producers and utilize the milk purchased in the most advantageous manner possible.
(3) Two members representing milk consumers and having no pecuniary interest in the sale of milk or milk products shall be chosen by the Governor. The initial appointment of one of these members shall be for a term of one year.
(4) One dairy farmer, chosen directly by the Governor, who does not serve on the Board of Directors of any organization that handles or processes dairy products, nor is an officer of any organized farm organization in the State.
(5) One member from the House Committee on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry chosen by the Speaker and one member from the Senate Committee on Agriculture chosen by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. For attendance at a meeting when the General Assembly is not in session, these two legislative members shall be entitled to the same per diem compensation and reimbursement of necessary expenses as provided members of standing committees under 2 V.S.A. § 23. (Added 1965, No. 175, § 40; amended 1991, No. 17, § 3; 1993, No. 127 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 2003, No. 42, § 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2007, No. 157 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. May 20, 2008.)