(a) General rule.--The business and affairs of the association shall be managed under the direction of a board of not less than five directors who shall be natural persons of full age. All directors shall be members. The first directors shall serve until the first annual meeting of the association at which time their successors shall be elected by the members of the association. Thereafter, a director shall hold office for a term of not less than one year nor more than three years and until his successor has been elected and qualified. Every election for a director shall be by secret ballot. A director may succeed himself.

(b) Election by districts.--The bylaws may provide that the territory in which the association has members shall be divided into districts and that the directors shall be elected according to such districts, either directly or by district delegates elected by the members in that district. In such case, the bylaws shall specify or the board of directors shall determine the number of directors to be elected by each district and the manner and method of dividing the directors and of districting and redistricting of the territory in which the association has members. The board of directors may use such standards as are reasonable for assigning directors and districting and redistricting the territory in which the association has members. The bylaws or the board of directors may provide for dividing districts into locals and for the election of district delegates at local meetings of members. The bylaws shall prescribe the procedures by which districts shall elect directors. The board of directors shall hear and decide any controversy arising out of a district election and its decisions shall be incontestable except for fraud. In any case in which the election of directors is by districts, the board shall fill a vacancy with a person who resides in or is a member of a local in the district in which the vacancy exists.

(c) Classified board.--If the bylaws so provide, the directors of an association may be classified in respect to the time for which they severally hold office. In such case, each class shall be as nearly equal in number as possible, the term of office of at least one class shall expire in each year, and the members of a class shall not be elected for a shorter period than one year or for a longer period than three years. If, at any meeting, directors of more than one class are to be elected, each class of directors to be elected shall be elected in a separate election.

(d) Educational program.--The Department of Agriculture, in cooperation with the College of Agriculture of The Pennsylvania State University, shall develop and implement an educational program relating to the powers, duties, functions and responsibilities of directors of associations. The Secretary of Agriculture shall appoint an advisory council consisting of nine individuals, including members and directors of associations, two association managers and other interested individuals, who shall advise the department on the development of the educational program. Two members of the advisory council shall be managers of associations. In addition, the department shall furnish to each association director, free of charge, when first elected as a director, an updated copy of this chapter and annually thereafter any amendments or replacements thereof.

Cross References. Section 7531 is referred to in section 7503 of this title.