Each commodity committee shall have the following powers and duties:

With regard to the respective fruit for which it was established, to establish production research and marketing research and development projects as authorized under § 917.39, to recommend to the Secretary regulation of shipments pursuant to the provisions of this part, and to possess such other powers and exercise such other duties as will properly effectuate the purpose of this part: Provided, however, That the Pear Commodity Committee shall approve actions under § 917.39 and make said recommendations pursuant to §§ 917.40 through 917.43 only upon the affirmative vote of not less than nine members of said committee.

To make such rules and regulations with respect to fruit for which it was established as may be necessary to effectuate the terms and provisions of this part.

To forward to the Control Committee and to the Secretary a record of the minutes of each meeting of the commodity committee.

To establish such other committees to aid the commodity committee in the performance of its duties under this part as may be deemed advisable.

Each season prior to any recommendation to the Secretary for a regulation of shipments pursuant to §§ 917.40 through 917.43 to determine the marketing policy to be followed for the respective commodity during the ensuing fiscal period and to submit such policy to the Secretary, said policy report to contain, among other provisions, information relative to the estimated total production and shipments of the fruit by districts, information as to the expected general quality and size of fruit, possible or expected demand conditions of different market outlets, supplies of competitive commodities, such analysis of the foregoing factors and conditions as the committee deems appropriate, and the type of regulations of shipments expected to be recommended for the respective fruit.

To submit as soon as practicable after the beginning of each fiscal year to the Secretary, for his approval, a budget of its expenses for such fiscal period, including its proportional share of the expenses of the Control Committee and an explanation of the items therein, and a recommendation as to the rate of assessment for the respective fruit for which the commodity committee was established.

With the approval of the Secretary, to redefine the Districts into which the State of California has been divided under § 917.14 or change the representation of any representation area affecting the respective commodity committee: Provided, however, That if any such changes are made, representation on any such committee from the various representation areas shall be based, so far as practicable, upon the proportionate quantity of the respective fruit shipped from the respective representation area during the preceding three fiscal periods: Provided further, That the commodity committees shall follow the principle, so far as practicable, of assigning a member position on the commodity committees to any representation area from which five percent of regulated shipments have originated during such periods.

At 76 FR 66605, Oct. 27, 2011, § 917.35 was suspended indefinitely, effective Oct. 28, 2011.