Chapter Title: DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Section: 17.76

Text:
 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.