(a) General rule.--It is the policy of this Commonwealth, as one means of improving the economic position of agriculture, to encourage the organization of producers of agricultural products into effective cooperative agricultural associations under the control of the producers for their mutual benefit, and to that end this chapter shall be liberally construed. Where applicable to this chapter and to Chapter 71 (relating to cooperative corporations generally), Subparts B (relating to business corporations) and C (relating to nonprofit corporations) of Part II shall be construed, wherever possible, consistent with law applicable to cooperative agricultural associations in general.

(b) Associations not in restraint of trade.--

(1) No association complying with this chapter shall be deemed to be a conspiracy, or a combination in restraint of trade, or an illegal monopoly, or be deemed to have been formed for the purpose of lessening competition or fixing prices arbitrarily, nor shall the contracts between the association and its producers, or any agreements authorized in this chapter, be construed as an unlawful restraint of trade, or as a part of a conspiracy or combination to accomplish an improper or illegal purpose or act.

(2) An association may acquire, exchange, interpret and disseminate past, present and prospective crop, market, statistical, economic and other similar information relating to the business of the association either directly or through an agent created or selected by it or by other associations acting in conjunction with it.

(3) An association may advise its members in respect to the adjustment of their current and prospective production of agricultural commodities and its relation to the prospective volume of consumption, selling prices and existing or potential surplus to the end that every market may be served from the most convenient productive areas under a program of orderly marketing that will assure adequate supplies without undue enhancement of prices or the accumulation of any undue surplus of agricultural products.