For the purposes of this chapter:
(1) "Affected commodity" means the agricultural commodity that is specified in the marketing order.
(2) "Affected handler" means any handler of an affected commodity.
(3) "Affected parties" means any producer, affected producer, handler, or commodity commission member.
(4) "Affected producer" means any producer who is subject to a marketing order.
(5) "Agricultural commodity" means any of the following commodities or products: Llamas, alpacas, or any other animal or any distinctive type of agricultural, horticultural, viticultural, vegetable, and/or animal product, including, but not limited to, products qualifying as organic products under chapter
15.86 RCW and private sector cultured aquatic products as defined in RCW
15.85.020 and other fish and fish products, within its natural or processed state, including beehives containing bees and honey and Christmas trees but not including timber or timber products. The director is authorized to determine what kinds, types or subtypes should be classed together as an agricultural commodity for the purposes of this chapter.
(6) "Assessment" means the monetary amount established in a marketing order that is to be paid by each affected producer to a commission in accordance with the schedule established in the marketing order.
(7) "Commodity commission" or "commission" means a commission formed to carry out the purposes of this chapter under a particular marketing order concerning an affected commodity.
(8) "Cooperative association" means any incorporated or unincorporated association of producers which conforms to the qualifications set out in the act of Congress of the United States, Feb. 18, 1922, chapter 57, sections 1 and 2, 42 U.S. Statutes at Large 388 as amended, known as the "Capper-Volstead Act" and which is engaged in making collective sales or in marketing any agricultural commodity or product thereof or in rendering service for or advancing the interests of the producers of such commodity on a nonprofit cooperative basis.
(9) "Department" means the department of agriculture of the state of Washington.
(10) "Director" means the director of agriculture of the state of Washington or any qualified person or persons designated by the director of agriculture to act for him or her concerning some matter under this chapter.
(11) "Handler" means any person who acts, either as principal, agent, or otherwise, in the processing, selling, marketing, or distributing of an agricultural commodity that is not produced by the handler. "Handler" does not include a common carrier used to transport an agricultural commodity. "To handle" means to act as a handler.
(12) "List of affected handlers" means a list containing the names and addresses of affected handlers. This list must contain the names and addresses of all affected handlers and, if requested by the director, the amount, by unit, of the affected commodity handled during a designated period under this chapter.
(13) "List of affected parties" means a list containing the names and mailing addresses of affected parties. This list must contain the names and addresses of all affected parties and, if requested by the director, the amount, by unit, of the affected commodity produced during a designated period under this chapter.
(14) "List of affected producers" means a list containing the names and mailing addresses of affected producers. This list must contain the names and addresses of all affected producers and, if requested by the director, the amount, by unit, of the affected commodity produced during a designated period under this chapter.
(15) "Mail" or "send," for purposes of any notice relating to rule making, referenda, or elections, means regular mail or electronic distribution, as provided in RCW
34.05.260 for rule making. "Electronic distribution" or "electronically" means distribution by electronic mail or facsimile mail.
(16) "Marketing order" means an order adopted by rule by the director that establishes a commodity commission for an agricultural commodity pursuant to this chapter.
(17) "Member of a cooperative association" or "member" means any producer of an agricultural commodity who markets his or her product through such cooperative association and who is a voting stockholder of or has a vote in the control of or is under a marketing agreement with such cooperative association with respect to such product.
(18) "Percent by numbers" means the percent of those persons on the list of affected parties or affected producers.
(19) "Person" includes any individual, firm, corporation, limited liability company, trust, association, partnership, society, or any other organization of individuals or any unit or agency of local, state, or federal government.
(20) "Producer" means any person engaged in the business of producing or causing to be produced for market in commercial quantities any agricultural commodity. "To produce" means to act as a producer. For the purposes of this chapter, "producer" shall include bailees who contract to produce or grow any agricultural product on behalf of a bailor who retains title to the seed and its resulting agricultural product or the agricultural product delivered for further production or increase.
(21) "Referendum" means a vote by the affected parties or affected producers which is conducted by secret ballot.
(22) "Rule-making proceedings" means rule making under chapter
34.05 RCW.
(23) "Unfair trade practice" means any practice which is unlawful or prohibited under the laws of the state of Washington including but not limited to Titles
15,
16 and
69 RCW and chapters
9.16, 19.77, 19.80, 19.84, and
19.83 RCW, or any practice, whether concerning interstate or intrastate commerce that is unlawful under the provisions of the act of Congress of the United States, September 26, 1914, chapter 311, section 5, 38 U.S. Statutes at Large 719 as amended, known as the "Federal Trade Commission Act of 1914", or the violation of or failure accurately to label as to grades and standards in accordance with any lawfully established grades or standards or labels.
(24) "Unit" means a unit of volume, quantity or other measure in which an agricultural commodity is commonly measured.
(25) "Vacancy" means that a commission member leaves or is removed from a position on the commission prior to the end of a term, or a nomination process for the beginning of a term concludes with no candidates for a position.
(26) "Volume of production" means the percent of the average volume of production of the affected commodity of those on the list of affected parties or affected producers for a production period. For the purposes of this chapter, a production period is a minimum three-year period or as specified in the marketing order.
