(a) The secretary shall establish a committee that shall be known as the Certified Farmers’ Market Advisory Committee. The primary goals of the committee shall be all of the following:

(1) Promote the demand and consumption of agricultural products purchased directly from producers at certified farmers’ markets.

(2) Ensure that existing and future certified farmers’ markets are primarily maintained for the benefit of the producers selling their products within those markets.

(3) Ensure that honest and fair marketing of products occurs within certified farmers’ markets and within an ancillary vending activity under the operation and control of a certified farmers’ market operator.

(b) The committee shall be composed of 14 members and their alternates. The secretary shall endeavor to appoint six members and their alternates who shall be producers or representatives of agricultural organizations that represent producers, six members and their alternates who shall be certified farmers’ market operators or representatives of the operator, one public member, and one member and his or her alternate who shall be a county agricultural commissioner. An alternate member shall serve at a committee meeting only in the absence of, and shall have the same powers and duties as, the member for whom he or she is designated as alternate. All appointees shall serve two-year terms or at the pleasure of the secretary. Members appointed to fill vacancies shall serve the remainder of the term.

(c) The secretary shall make an effort to include members who represent geographical diversity and diverse agricultural products.

(d) The committee shall meet at the request of the secretary. It shall meet at least once each year.

(e) The committee may appoint its own officers, including a chairperson, a vice chairperson, a secretary, and any other officers it deems necessary. The committee may adopt rules that it deems are necessary for the conduct of its meetings and functions to carry out the objectives of this chapter.

(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 579, Sec. 10. (AB 1871) Effective January 1, 2015.)