The federally approved commodity 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 Commodity Research Enhancement Act; such employees shall not be considered state employees for any purpose;

2. Retain legal counsel as is required to fulfill the purposes of the Commodity Research Enhancement Act;

3. Sue and be sued;

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

5. Make such reasonable expenditures of funds as are necessary to carry out the provisions of the Commodity Research Enhancement Act;

6. The board shall open its state assessment records to examination by any participating producer during regular business hours; provided, the board may determine that certain information provided by a commodity producer is proprietary and confidential;

7. Set the rate of the state assessment. The rate may not exceed the maximum established in the election authorizing the state assessment or a subsequent election establishing a maximum rate;

8. 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 state assessment is levied; and

9. Exercise such other powers as necessary to carry out the purposes of the Commodity Research Enhancement Act.

Added by Laws 2014, c. 371, § 12, eff. Nov. 1, 2014.