A.  Subject to the provisions, restrictions, and limitations which are imposed in this Chapter, the commissioner may issue marketing orders which regulate producer marketing, the processing, distributing, or handling in any manner of any commodity by any and all persons that are engaged in such producer marketing, processing, distributing, or handling of such commodity within this state.

B.  The commissioner may also issue marketing orders which regulate the handling, processing, preparation for marketing, or marketing any commodity which is produced in this state under such orders.

C.(1)  The commissioner may issue a marketing order, applicable to the marketing, within this state, of any commodity, which contains like terms, provisions, methods, and procedures as any license or order that regulates the marketing of such commodity in interstate or foreign commerce which is issued by the secretary of agriculture of the United States pursuant to the provisions of any law or laws of the United States.

(2)  In selecting the members of any board or other advisory agency under such order, the commissioner shall, in so far as practicable, utilize the same persons as those serving in a similar capacity under such federal license or order, so as to avoid duplicating or conflicting personnel.

(3)  Any board, agency, or committee so appointed by the commissioner shall be responsible to the commissioner for the performance of such of their duties as relate to the administration of any such marketing order which is issued by the commissioner.

D.  Any marketing order which is issued by the commissioner pursuant to this Chapter shall designate the geographic boundaries which it encompasses such as, parish, districts, or state and shall embrace all persons of a like class that are engaged in a specific and distinctive agricultural industry or trade within the geographic boundaries encompassed by the order.

E.  The commissioner may also, after due notice and opportunity for hearing, enter into marketing agreements with processors, distributors, producers, and others that are engaged in the handling of any commodity, which regulate the preparation for market and handling of such commodity.  Such marketing agreements are binding upon signatories to the agreements exclusively.

F.  The purposes and provisions of the Chapter which relate to marketing orders are applicable to marketing agreements except as follows:

(1)  La. Rev. Stat. 3:3510(G), which requires the preparation of an official list of the names and addresses of all producers and the volume of such commodity which was produced or marketed by all such producers in the preceding marketing season and a list of the names and addresses of all handlers and the volume of such commodity which was handled by all such handlers, during the preceding marketing season, is not applicable to marketing agreements.

(2)  La. Rev. Stat. 3:3516(A) through (E), and the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 3:3519 which prescribe requirements for termination by request in writing, are not applicable to marketing agreements.  Prior to the issuance of any marketing agreement or amendment to it, the commissioner shall find, that the marketing agreement, or any amendment to it, has been assented to by a sufficient number of signatories that handle a sufficient volume of the commodity which is affected to accomplish the objectives of such agreement or amendment and provide sufficient moneys from assessments levied to defray the necessary expenses of formulation, issuance, administration, and enforcement.

(3)  La. Rev. Stat. 3:3525(C) is not applicable to marketing agreements.

G.  Notwithstanding the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 3:3502(4), the commissioner may issue and make effective marketing orders or marketing agreements that affect handlers only which include only the provisions which are authorized in La. Rev. Stat. 3:3513(F) through (J) and (L), or any of such provisions, but no others, as may be applicable to the commodity that is regulated which is handled within this state, without regard to whether or not such commodity is produced within this state.

H.  If producers or handlers of any commodity which is regulated by a marketing order or marketing agreement are required to comply with minimum quality, condition, size, or maturity regulations, no person, except as otherwise provided in such order or agreement, may process, distribute, or otherwise handle any of such commodity from any source, whether produced within or without this state, which commodity does not meet such minimum requirements applicable upon producers or handlers of such commodity in this state.  Such regulations do not, however, apply to any commodity which has been produced outside of this state and is in transit on the effective date of the regulations.

I.  The commissioner may issue and make effective a marketing order or marketing agreement which applies to two or more commodities.  The producers or handlers of each commodity encompassed by such marketing order or agreement shall have all rights and privileges as though such producers or handlers were directly affected by a marketing order or agreement regulating only a single commodity.  If the producers or handlers of one commodity who are directly affected by a marketing order or agreement which applies to two or more commodities act to enjoin, amend, suspend, or terminate the provisions thereof to such commodity, the order or agreement shall be enjoined, amended, suspended, or terminated with respect to any other commodity regulated by such order or agreement unless the commissioner finds such injunction, amendment, suspension, or termination respecting one commodity makes continuance of the order or agreement no longer feasible or it fails to attain the objectives of this Chapter.  A marketing order or agreement applicable to more than one commodity is deemed to be severable with respect to each commodity encompassed by it and also severable as to each sentence, clause, or part as it applies to each commodity.  There shall be a clear and concise definition or identification of each commodity regulated by such multiple commodity marketing order or agreement.

Added by Acts 1978, No. 500, §1; Acts 2009, No. 24, §8J, eff. June 12, 2009; Acts 2010, No. 861, §3.