(a) The Commissioner, upon the approval and request of a commission governed by this article, is authorized to issue, administer, and enforce the provisions of marketing orders regulating producer marketing or the handling of agricultural commodities within this state.

(b)

(1) Whenever the Commissioner has reason to believe that the issuance of a marketing order or amendments to an existing marketing order will tend to effectuate the declared policy of this article with respect to any agricultural commodity, he shall, either upon his own motion, upon the motion of any commission, or upon the application of any producer of such commodity or any organization of such persons, give due notice of and an opportunity for a public hearing upon a proposed marketing order or amendments to an existing marketing order.

(2) Notice of any hearing called for such purpose shall be given by the Commissioner or the commission by publishing a notice of such hearing for a period of not less than five days in a newspaper of general circulation published in the capital of the state and in such other newspapers as the Commissioner may prescribe. No such public hearing shall be held prior to five days after the last day of such period of publication. The Commissioner or the commission shall also mail a copy of such notice of hearing and a copy of such proposed marketing order or proposed amendments to all producers of such agricultural commodity whose names and addresses appear upon lists of such persons on file in the department and who may be directly affected by the provisions of such proposed marketing order or such proposed amendments. Such notice of hearing shall in all respects comply with the requirements of Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act."

(3) The hearing shall be public and all testimony shall be received under oath. A full and complete record of the proceedings at such hearing shall be made and maintained on file in the office of the Commissioner or the commission. The hearing shall, in all respects, be conducted in accordance with Chapter 13 of Title 50, the "Georgia Administrative Procedure Act." The hearing may be conducted by the commission, by a member of the commission, or by the Commissioner, as may be designated by the commission in each instance, but no decision shall be made based on hearings conducted other than by the commission itself, at which a majority of the members thereof are present, until the members of the commission have been afforded an opportunity to review the hearing record. Where the commission conducts hearings, its recommendation shall be based on the findings reached after a review of the record of the hearing.

(c) (1) In order to provide the Commissioner or the commission with accurate and reliable information with respect to the persons who may be directly affected by any proposed marketing order for any agricultural commodity when such information is not then on file in the department, the Commissioner or the commission is authorized and directed, whenever the Commissioner or the commission has reason to believe that the issuance of a marketing order will tend to effectuate the declared policy of this article or upon receipt of a written application for a hearing pursuant to subsection (b) of this Code section, to notify all handlers of such agricultural commodity, by publication of a notice as required in paragraph (2) of this subsection, to file with the Commissioner or the commission within ten days from the last date of such publication a report, properly certified, showing:

(A) The correct name and address of such handler;

(B) The quantities of the agricultural commodity affected by the proposed marketing order handled by such handler in the marketing season next preceding the filing of such report;

(C) The correct names and addresses of all producers of such agricultural commodity who may be directly affected by such proposed marketing order, from whom such handler received such agricultural commodity in the marketing season next preceding the filing of such report; and

(D) The quantities of such agricultural commodity received by such handler from each such producer in the marketing season next preceding the filing of such report.

(2) The notice to handlers requiring them to file a report shall be published by the Commissioner or the commission for a period of not less than five days in a newspaper of general circulation published in the capital of the state and in such other newspaper or newspapers as the Commissioner or the commission may prescribe. The Commissioner or the commission shall also mail a copy of such notice to all handlers of such agricultural commodity whose names and addresses appear upon the lists on file in the department who may be directly affected by such proposed marketing order.

(3) Each handler of an agricultural commodity directly affected by a proposed marketing order shall file his verified report with the Commissioner or the commission within the time specified in paragraph (1) of this subsection. Failure or refusal of any handler to file such report shall not invalidate any proceeding taken or marketing order issued. The Commissioner or the commission is authorized and directed to proceed upon the basis of such information and reports as may otherwise be available.

(4) From the reports so filed and the information so received or available to the Commissioner or the commission, including any proper corrections, the Commissioner or the commission shall prepare a list of the names and addresses of such producers and the volume of such commodity produced or marketed by all such producers and a list of the names and addresses of such handlers and the volume of such commodity handled by all such handlers, directly affected by such proposed marketing order or amendments thereto, in the preceding marketing season. Such lists shall constitute complete and conclusive lists for use in any finding made by the Commissioner or the commission pursuant to subsection (a) of Code Section 2-8-23 and such findings shall be conclusive.

(5) The information contained in the individual reports of handlers filed with the Commissioner or the commission pursuant to this Code section shall not be made public in such form. The information contained in such reports may be prepared in combined form for use by the Commissioner or the commission, their agents, or other interested persons in the formulation, administration, and enforcement of a marketing order or may be made available pursuant to court order. Such information shall not be made available to anyone for private purposes.