OAR 623-030-0020: Qualifications of Commissioners

(1) For purposes of this rule: (a) A "producer" is a person growing or producing within this state or procuring within the state, its rivers or the offshore waters, but not the Columbia River, for commercial handling within the state, a commodity for market, or receiving a share thereof as landowner, landlord, tenant, sharecropper, boat skipper or otherwise. A producer must have paid the commission assessment on the commodity in each of the preceding three calendar years. (b) A "handler" is any producer, processor, distributor or other person engaged in handling or marketing of or dealing in the commodity, whether as owner, agent, employee, broker or otherwise. A handler must have collected the commission assessment, if any, each of the preceding three calendar years. (2) Members of the Hazelnut Commission will have the following qualifications, which will continue during the term of office of the member: (a) One member of the commission will be a member of the public with an active interest in the positive economic development, production and/or marketing of the commodity, but who is not associated with the production or handling of hazelnuts; (b) A majority of the members will be producers; (c) At least one member will be a handler; (d) All members who are not a handler or the public member will be producers. (3) In addition to the qualifications set forth in subsection (2) of this rule, the industry will strive to have broad geographic representation.