The Florida Senate

There is hereby created and established within the Department of Citrus a board to be known and designated as the “Florida Citrus Commission” to be composed of 12 practical citrus fruit persons who are resident citizens of the state, each of whom is and has been actively engaged in growing, growing and shipping, or growing and processing of citrus fruit in the state for a period of at least 5 years immediately prior to appointment to the said commission and has, during said period, derived a major portion of her or his income therefrom or, during said time, has been the owner of, member of, officer of, or paid employee of a corporation, firm, or partnership which has, during said time, derived the major portion of its income from the growing, growing and shipping, or growing and processing of citrus fruit.

Seven members of the commission shall be designated as grower members and shall be primarily engaged in the growing of citrus fruit as an individual owner; as the owner of, or as stockholder of, a corporation; or as a member of a firm or partnership primarily engaged in citrus growing. None of such members shall receive any compensation from any licensed citrus fruit dealer or handler, as defined in s. 601.03, other than gift fruit shippers, but any of the grower members shall not be disqualified as a member if, individually, or as the owner of, a member of, an officer of, or a stockholder of a corporation, firm, or partnership primarily engaged in citrus growing which processes, packs, and markets its own fruit and whose business is primarily not purchasing and handling fruit grown by others. Five members of the commission shall be designated as grower-handler members and shall be engaged as owners, or as paid officers or employees, of a corporation, firm, partnership, or other business unit engaged in handling citrus fruit. Two of such five grower-handler members shall be primarily engaged in the fresh fruit business and three of such five grower-handler members shall be primarily engaged in the processing of citrus fruits.

There shall be three members of the commission from each of the four citrus districts. Each member must reside in the district from which she or he was appointed. For the purposes of this section, the residence of a member shall be the actual physical and permanent residence of the member.

The members of such commission shall possess the qualifications herein provided and shall be appointed by the Governor for terms of 3 years each. Appointments shall be made by February 1 preceding the commencement of the term and shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate in the following legislative session. Four members shall be appointed each year. Such members shall serve until their respective successors are appointed and qualified. The regular terms shall begin on June 1 and shall end on May 31 of the third year after such appointment.

When appointments are made, the Governor shall publicly announce the actual classification and district that each appointee represents. A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business and the carrying out of the duties of the commission. Before entering upon the discharge of their duties as members of the commission, each member shall take and subscribe to the oath of office prescribed in s. 5, Art. II of the State Constitution. The qualification of each member as herein required shall continue throughout the respective term of office, and in the event a member should, after appointment, fail to meet the qualifications or classification which she or he possessed at the time of appointment as above set forth, such member shall resign or be removed and be replaced with a member possessing the proper qualifications and classification.

When making an appointment to the commission, the Governor shall announce the district and classification of the person appointed.

The commission is authorized to elect a chair and vice chair and such other officers as it may deem advisable.

The chair, subject to commission concurrence, may appoint such advisory committees or councils composed of industry representatives as the chair deems appropriate, setting forth areas of committee or council concern which are consistent with the statutory powers and duties of the commission and the Department of Citrus.