(a) The West Virginia Beef Industry Council is hereby continued. The members of the Council in office on the date this section becomes effective shall, unless sooner removed, continue to serve until their respective terms expire and until their successors have been appointed and qualified.

(b) (1) Commencing with the Council terms beginning on July 1, 2005, the Council shall consist of nine members appointed for terms of three years by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Six members of the Council must be beef cattle producers, one member must be a dairy cattle producer, one member must be a representative of a public livestock market and one member must be a meat packer or meat processor.

(2) Each member of the Council, at the time of his or her appointment, must have been engaged in his or her representative

occupation for a period of not less than five years immediately preceding the appointment and each member must be a United States citizen and a resident of this state during the appointment term.

(3) In making appointments to the Council, the Governor shall consider proposed member recommendations made by West Virginia organizations and groups concerned with or engaged in beef production.

(4) No member may serve more than two consecutive full terms and any member having served two full terms may not be appointed for one year after completion of his or her second full term. A member continues to serve until his or her successor has been appointed and qualified.

(5) The Governor may remove any member of the Council for neglect of duty, incompetency or official misconduct.

(c) The Council elects a chair, a secretary and a treasurer from its membership each for a term of two years. The Council meets as often as necessary at the time and place designated by the chair or by call of a majority of the Council members. All Council meetings shall be held in accordance with the provisions of article nine-a, chapter six of this code. All decisions of the Council are determined by a majority of the members appointed.

(d) The Board shall reimburse each member's expenses for room, meals and mileage in the same manner and amount as state employees receive for travel. No member may receive any other salary or compensation for his or her services.