A.  The Dairy Industry Promotion Board is hereby created within the Department of Agriculture and Forestry and shall consist of nine members, eight of whom shall be appointed by the commissioner from two areas of the state as follows:

(1)  State Area No. 1, comprising those parishes or portions of parishes that are located west of the Mississippi River, shall be represented by three members.

(2)  State Area No. 2, comprising those parishes or portions of parishes that are located east of the Mississippi River, shall be represented by five members.

B.(1)  For each appointed member of the board from each area, the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation shall nominate two persons who are dairy producers from that area.

(2)  For each appointed member of the board from each area in which the cooperative has membership, each dairy cooperative having a membership of at least twenty-five dairy producers in the state shall nominate two persons who are dairy producers from that area.

C.  The ninth member of the board shall be the commissioner or his designee, who shall serve ex officio but with all of the powers, rights, duties, and privileges as all other members.

D.  At the same time, in the same manner, and for the same term as provided for the appointment of the eight appointed members, the commissioner shall appoint one alternate for each member who shall be appointed from the same area and possess the same qualifications as the member for whom he is appointed as an alternate.  When, for any reason, a member appointed from any area is unable to be present at any meeting of the board, the alternate appointed from his area shall serve in his place, and in such case, the alternate shall exercise all of the powers vested by law in the member, including the right to vote.

E.  In the event that any producer member of the board ceases to be a dairy producer, that member shall not be eligible to continue membership on the board, his position shall be vacated, and the vacancy shall be filled as provided in Subsection I of this Section.

F.  Each appointment by the commissioner shall be submitted to the Senate for confirmation.

G.  Members shall serve terms concurrent with the commissioner making the appointment.  Each organization authorized to make nominations for appointments to the board shall file a list of nominees with the commissioner no later than June thirtieth of the year of the commissioner’s inauguration.

H.  The commissioner shall make all appointments no later than thirty days following the last day for submission of lists of nominees.  Whenever any organization authorized to make nominations for appointments to the board fails to submit a list of nominees within the time prescribed in this Section, the commissioner may make direct appointments to the board.

I.  Within thirty days after a vacancy occurs, the commissioner shall appoint a nominee from the original list of nominees from the area in which the vacancy occurs to fill the vacancy.

J.  Each appointee of the commissioner shall be an active dairy producer whose farm is located in the area which he represents.

K.  Each member shall take and subscribe to the oath of office prescribed for state officials.  Members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified.

L.  Members shall be entitled to receive a per diem not to exceed forty dollars and to be reimbursed for mileage expenses in accordance with the travel regulations applying to state employees.

M.  A majority of the membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of official business.  All official actions of the board shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of the membership of the board.

N.  The board shall be domiciled in Baton Rouge.

O.  The board shall meet at least once during each quarter, but may meet more frequently upon the call of the chairman.

Added by Acts 1983, No. 526, §1, eff. July 8, 1983; Acts 1995, No. 356, §1; Acts 2008, No. 920, §1, eff. July 14, 2008; Acts 2009, No. 24, §8L, eff. June 12, 2009.