A. The commodity producers board shall have the power and duty to:

1. Employ personnel deemed necessary by the board, fix the amount and manner of their compensation, and incur other expenses that are necessary and proper to enable the board to effectively carry out the purposes of the Oklahoma Agricultural Commodity Act;

2. Adopt and amend bylaws as necessary to promptly and effectively administer the Oklahoma Agricultural Commodity Act;

3. Retain legal counsel as is required to fulfill the purposes of the Oklahoma Agricultural Commodity Act;

4. Sue and be sued;

5. Initiate prosecution and civil remedies necessary to collect any assessments due and owing to the commodity producers board;

6. Cooperate with local, state, national or international organizations, whether public or private, in carrying out the purposes of contracts as may be necessary;

7. Make such reasonable expenditures of funds as is necessary to carry out the provisions of the Oklahoma Agricultural Commodity Act;

8. Call and conduct such meetings and elections as may be necessary in carrying out the provisions of the Oklahoma Agricultural Commodity Act;

9. Keep minutes of its meetings and other books and records that clearly reflect all acts and transactions of the board. The board shall open its records to examination by any participating producer or the Commissioner of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry during regular business hours; provided, the board may determine in bylaws that certain information provided by a commodity producer is confidential due to proprietary or privacy reasons;

10. Set the rate of the assessment. The rate may not exceed the maximum established by statute in the case of successor organization or in the election authorizing the assessment or a subsequent election establishing a maximum rate in the case of a certified organization;

11. Deposit all monies received by the board, including but not limited to assessments, donations, and grants, in a bank selected by the board and invest in securities of the state or federal government, certificates of deposit or certificates of any bank, trust company or savings and loan association insured by a federal agency;

12. Establish an office or headquarters as necessary;

13. Purchase, lease, sell, exchange or dispose of real or personal property;

14. Formulate general policies and programs for the education, discovery, promotion, and development of markets and industries for the utilization of the commodity in cooperation with the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry;

15. Hire or retain legal counsel to represent the board in any matter and producers in matters pertaining to transportation problems and other matters which could result in potential substantial loss to producers;

16. Borrow money for any lawful purpose;

17. Act separately or in cooperation with any person in developing, carrying out, and participating in programs of research, disease and insect control, predator control, education, and promotion designed to encourage the production, marketing, and use of the commodity on which the assessment is levied; and

18. Exercise such other powers as necessary to carry out the purposes of the Oklahoma Agricultural Commodity Act.

B. The State Board of Agriculture may promulgate rules for the establishment of commodity producer boards pursuant to the Oklahoma Agricultural Commodity Act as necessary. The rules shall ensure that such commodity producer boards are established and administered in a uniform manner.

Added by Laws 1999, c. 123, § 17, eff. July 1, 1999. Amended by Laws 2014, c. 1, § 15, eff. July 1, 2014.