PRINTER'S NO. 1200
No. 1042 Session of 1985
INTRODUCED BY MORRIS, SIRIANNI, COLE AND WASS, APRIL 29, 1985
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS,
APRIL 29, 1985
AN ACT
1 Creating and empowering the Agricultural Product Development
2 Commission; and making an appropriation.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Agricultural
7 Product Development Commission Act.
8 Section 2. Legislative intent.
9 It is the intent and expectation of the General Assembly,
10 through this act, to increase the impact of agriculture by
11 establishing a commission which represents government,
12 agriculture and public consumers. The commission will be
13 empowered to receive public and private funds for the express
14 purpose of enhancing Pennsylvania agriculture and its products
15 by expanding existing agribusiness, by promoting food products
16 which are grown or processed in Pennsylvania and by promoting
17 the image of Pennsylvania as an agricultural State.
1 Section 3. Definitions.
2 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
3 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
4 context clearly indicates otherwise:
5 "Agribusiness." A business directly related to farming or to
6 the manufacture, sale or distribution of farm products or
7 equipment.
8 "Commission." The Agricultural Product Development
9 Commission.
10 "Department." The Department of Agriculture of the
11 Commonwealth.
12 "Lobbying." Attempting to influence the introduction or
13 passage of legislation by a legislative body of government.
14 "Secretary." The Secretary of Agriculture of the
15 Commonwealth.
16 Section 4. Creation.
17 There is hereby created within the department a commission
18 which shall be known as the Agricultural Product Development
19 Commission.
20 Section 5. Membership and meetings.
21 (a) General membership.--The commission shall consist of 15
22 members.
23 (b) Designated members; chairman.--Five members shall be the
24 secretary, who shall also serve as chairman; the chairman and
25 minority chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee
26 in the House of Representatives; and the chairman and minority
27 chairman of the Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee in the
28 Senate.
29 (c) Appointed members.--The remaining ten members shall be
30 appointed by the Governor, seven of the members to be selected
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1 from a list of persons suggested by Statewide farm
2 organizations, commodity groups and food processors. The members
3 shall be appointed for nonconsecutive three-year terms, four of
4 the initial ten members to serve for one year, three to serve
5 for two years and three to serve for three years.
6 (d) Meetings.--The commission shall meet at least quarterly.
7 Additional meetings may be called by the chairman at his
8 discretion or at the written request of a majority of the
9 members of the commission.
10 (e) Quorum.--A quorum of eight members of the commission
11 must be present for voting.
12 Section 6. Powers, duties and restrictions.
13 (a) Powers and duties.--The commission is hereby empowered
14 and it shall have the duty to:
15 (1) Form subcommittees to develop programs to promote
16 Pennsylvania agriculture.
17 (2) Authorize expenditures of moneys to conduct research
18 and promotional activities.
19 (3) Receive funds from Federal, State and private
20 sources, to deposit the funds which are received in an
21 interest-bearing revenue account and to authorize
22 expenditures from this fund for agricultural research and
23 promotion to benefit Pennsylvania agriculture.
24 (4) Make and enter contracts, if the department has been
25 a party to the negotiation of the specific contract and if
26 the secretary, acting in his capacity as secretary and not as
27 chairman, approves the specific contract.
28 (5) Employ a staff, so long as administrative costs are
29 limited to 10% of the total annual commission budget.
30 (6) Conduct marketing research and develop programs to
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1 promote Pennsylvania agriculture.
2 (b) Restrictions.--The commission is expressly prohibited
3 from lobbying.
4 Section 7. Appropriation.
5 The sum of $100,000 is hereby appropriated to the
6 Agricultural Product Development Commission to carry out the
7 purposes of this act.
8 Section 8. Expiration.
9 This act shall expire December 31, 1990.
10 Section 9. Effective date.
11 This act shall take effect immediately.
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