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17.76 Minnesota dairy producers board.

Subdivision 1. Establishment; composition; officers. (a) The Minnesota dairy producers board consists of 18 members. Fourteen of the members must be eligible family dairy producers. Four of the members must represent food consumer groups. For purposes of this section, "eligible family dairy producer" means a natural person who daily manages and operates a dairy farm owned by the person. "Eligible family dairy producer" does not include a person who is currently an employee of or a member of the board of directors of an organization involved in milk processing or dairy marketing.

(b) The board shall elect from among its members a chair and other appropriate officers.

Subd. 2. Appointment; terms; compensation. (a) Two members of the board shall be appointed by each of seven organizations representing agriculture in Minnesota. The organizations are:

Minnesota Farmers Union;

National Farmers Organization;

Farmers Union Milk Marketing Cooperative;

Minnesota Milk Producers;

Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota;

Minnesota Farm Bureau; and

Minnesota COACT.

Two members of the board shall be appointed by each of two organizations representing consumers in Minnesota. The organizations are:

Minnesota Food Association; and

Minnesota Senior Federation.

To the extent practicable, the members must be selected to represent the broad diversity of Minnesota's dairy producers.

(b) The terms and compensation of members and reimbursement for their expenses is governed by section 15.059.

(c) The board expires on June 30, 2001.

Subd. 3. Duties. (a) The board may monitor economic aspects of the dairy production, processing, and marketing process including:

(1) the movement of milk by processors;

(2) price setting at the National Cheese Exchange in Chicago;

(3) processor pricing methods;

(4) producer checkoffs and the use of checkoff funds;

(5) federal and state pricing policy; and

(6) other activities that affect the farm gate price of raw milk.

(b) The board may regularly educate producers, processors, consumers, and policymakers about the reasons for inadequate raw milk prices.

(c) The board may conduct quarterly surveys of dairy producers to identify problems created by milk prices that do not provide a fair return on the investment of producers. The board may compile the information from these surveys and recommend solutions to producers.

(d) The board may determine dairy production costs in each county through periodic surveys and from local organizations of producers.

HIST: 1996 c 407 s 13; 1997 c 216 s 25

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes