(1) (a) There is hereby created the state agricultural commission, referred to in this article as the "commission", which shall consist of nine members, each of whom shall be appointed by the governor, with the consent of the senate, for terms of four years each. Of such members, one member shall be appointed from each of the four agricultural districts, as defined in paragraph (c) of this subsection (1), and five members shall be appointed from the state at large; except that no more than three members shall be appointed from any one agricultural district. No more than five of the nine members shall be members of the same political party.

(b) The members of the commission shall be appointed from persons who are currently or were previously actively engaged in the business of agriculture and allied activities, but a majority of the commission shall be appointed from persons actively engaged in the business of agriculture in such a manner that representation of no agricultural commodity organization shall constitute a majority of the commission. A vacancy on the commission shall be filled by the governor by the appointment of a qualified person.

(c) For the purposes of representation on the state agricultural commission, this state is divided into four agricultural districts as follows:

(I) The city and county of Denver and the counties of Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, and Jefferson shall constitute the first district.

(II) The counties of Boulder, Cheyenne, Clear Creek, Elbert, Gilpin, Kit Carson, Larimer, Lincoln, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington, Weld, and Yuma shall constitute the second district.

(III) The counties of Alamosa, Baca, Bent, Conejos, Costilla, Crowley, Custer, El Paso, Fremont, Huerfano, Kiowa, Las Animas, Mineral, Otero, Prowers, Pueblo, Rio Grande, Saguache, and Teller shall constitute the third district.

(IV) The counties of Archuleta, Chaffee, Delta, Dolores, Eagle, Garfield, Grand, Gunnison, Hinsdale, Jackson, Lake, La Plata, Mesa, Moffat, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, Park, Pitkin, Rio Blanco, Routt, San Juan, San Miguel, and Summit shall constitute the fourth district.

(2) The commission shall elect from its members a chairman, vice-chairman, and such other commission officers as it shall determine. The commissioner of agriculture, in the discretion of the commission, may serve as secretary of the commission but shall not be eligible to appointment as a member. All commission officers shall hold their offices at the pleasure of the commission. Regular meetings of the commission shall be held not less than once every three months at such times as may be fixed by resolution of the commission. Special meetings may be called by the chairman, by the commissioner, or by a majority of members of the commission at any time on at least three days' prior notice by mail or, in cases of emergency, on twenty-four hours' notice by telephone or other telecommunications device. The commission shall adopt, and at any time may amend, bylaws in relation to its meetings and the transaction of its business. A majority shall constitute a quorum of the commission. Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary traveling and subsistence expenses when absent from their places of residence in attendance at meetings.