(1) There is hereby established in the department of agriculture the Colorado food systems advisory council, referred to in this article as the "council". The council is created as an advisory committee to foster a healthy food supply available to all Colorado residents while enhancing the state's agricultural and natural resources, encouraging economic growth, expanding the viability of agriculture, and improving the health of our communities and residents. The council's role is to make recommendations to the general assembly and to the appropriate regulatory agencies, not to create policy. The council shall use a method of dialogue and consensus decision-making to arrive at its recommendations.

(2) The council consists of fifteen members as follows:

(a) The executive director, or his or her designee, of each of the following state departments:

(I) The department of public health and environment;

(II) The department of agriculture;

(III) The department of human services;

(IV) The department of education;

(b) Eleven members appointed by the governor who represent and have expertise in one of seven functional areas of food systems, as follows:

(I) Two members who represent nutrition and health;

(II) Three members who represent agricultural production, at least one of whom represents a large producer and one a small producer;

(III) One member who represents small food wholesalers or food retailers and one member who represents large food wholesalers or food retailers, of which one of the two members may represent both small and large food wholesalers or food retailers;

(IV) One member who represents anti-hunger and food assistance programs;

(V) One member who is knowledgeable about a local, state, or federal agency and who has expertise in rural community and regional development programs or community and economic development programs.

(VI) One member from an academic institution who specializes in economic systems, agriculture, or health care;

(VII) The director of the Colorado state university extension services program or his or her designee.

(3) In making appointments to the council, the governor shall ensure that the membership of the council includes geographic representation from all areas of the state. The governor shall also consider appointing persons who have expertise in more than one functional area. No more than five members of the council appointed by the governor shall be members of the same political party.

(4) Each member of the council who is appointed pursuant to subsection (2) of this section shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority who appointed the member. Each member of the council shall serve a three-year term; except that the governor shall appoint four members to serve two-year terms.

(5) The appointing authorities shall make their initial appointments to the council no later than October 1, 2010.

(6) Any vacancy on the council shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made, and the term shall be for the balance of the unexpired term of the member whose term is vacant.

(7) A majority of the members of the council shall elect a chair and a vice-chair who shall serve for two-year terms. A member of the council who is an executive director of a state department or his or her designee may be elected to be a chair or a vice-chair of the council, but both positions shall not be held at the same time by members who are executive directors of state departments or their designees.

(8) Each member of the council shall serve without compensation, but may be reimbursed from the food systems advisory council fund created in section 24-37.3-105 for actual and necessary subsistence and travel expenses incurred in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the council.

(9) The chair shall call the meetings and notify the members of each meeting being called at least seven days in advance. Meetings shall be held as often as the chair deems necessary, but not less than four times each calendar year. A quorum for the transaction of business consists of seven members of the council.