A. The Cattle Industry Board, established by the passage of a referendum held pursuant to Chapter 375 of the Acts of Assembly of 1983, is continued within the Department.

The Board shall be composed of 11 members, each of whom shall be a citizen of the United States and a resident of the Commonwealth. Each member shall have been actively engaged in the type of production or business that he will represent on the Board for at least five years, shall derive a substantial proportion of his income from such production or business, and shall continue to be actively engaged in such production or business during his term.

B. The Governor shall appoint the members, who represent the cattle industry as follows:

1. Six beef cattle producers, one from each cattle production area of the Commonwealth. The six areas shall be designated by the Board in general accordance with census-based feeder cattle populations and updated every five years using USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service information.

2. Two producers doing business in any of the six cattle production areas.

3. One dairy producer.

4. Two handlers.

C. Such appointments shall be made by the Governor and confirmed in accordance with § 2.2-107. The Governor shall be guided in his appointments by nominations made by the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, Virginia Cattlemen's Association, Virginia Livestock Markets Association, or other agricultural organizations representing Virginia cattle producers. Each such agricultural organization may nominate producers from each production area or for each Board position. The recommendations shall be submitted prior to the expiration of the member's term for which the nomination is being provided. If any such agricultural organization fails to provide its nominations, the Governor may appoint other nominees who meet the criteria set out in this subsection. However, no nomination shall be considered if the nominee currently serves on a board appointed pursuant to the USDA-approved collection and administration of the National Beef Checkoff in accordance with the federal 1985 National Beef Promotion Act and Order.

1970, c. 310, §§ 3.1-796.15, 3.1-796.21; 1983, c. 375; 1985, c. 448; 2008, c. 860; 2011, cc. 158, 691, 714; 2016, c. 565; 2018, c. 469.