CHAPTER 5 Department of Agriculture Statutory Authority: 1976 Code §§ 23-39-90, 39-9-70, 39-9-80, 39-9-160, 39-11-20, 39-21-40, 39-27-60, 39-29-80, 39-31-100, 39-33-1230, 39-37-120, 39-39-40, 39-39-160, 39-41-80, 39-41-150, 46-15-20, 46-15-30, 46-21-20, 46-23-50 and 46-27-60; Chapters 11 and 25 of Title 39; Chapters 17, 19 (Article 5), 23 and 41 of Title 46; and Chapter 11 (Article 5) of Title 47 ARTICLE 1 AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES MARKETING ACT SUBARTICLE 1 SOYBEANS A. MARKETING ORDER NO. 1 FOR SOUTH CAROLINA SOYBEANS 5–1. Definition of Terms. Terms used in this Marketing Order shall be as defined in the Act with the following additions: a. ‘‘Act’’ means the South Carolina Agricultural Commodities Marketing Act of 1968 and as amended in 1970. b. ‘‘Affected area’’ and ‘‘production area’’ are synonymous and mean the entire area of South Carolina. c. ‘‘Board’’ means the South Carolina Soybean Board established pursuant to the provisions of § 46-17-190 and 5-2 of this Marketing Order. d. ‘‘Bushel,’’ ‘‘Unit,’’ and ‘‘Affected unit’’ are synonymous and mean and include one (1) standard U. S. bushel of 60 pounds by weight of soybeans. e. ‘‘Commission’’ means the Agriculture Commission of South Carolina. f. ‘‘District’’ means the geographical divisions of the area of soybean production established pursuant to the provisions of 5-2 of this Marketing Order. g. ‘‘First buyer’’ means the person to whom soybeans are sold by the affected producer of said soybeans. h. ‘‘Marketing season’’ means the twelve month fiscal year beginning upon the first day of July of any year and ending upon the last day of June, both dates inclusive. i. ‘‘Producer’’ means any individual or organization of individuals engaged in the business of producing or causing to be produced in South Carolina soybeans for market in commercial quantities as defined in Section 1, paragraph L of this regulation. j. ‘‘Sale’’ or ‘‘Sold’’ means a transaction wherein the property in or to soybeans is transferred from the producer to a purchaser for consideration. ‘‘Sale’’ or ‘‘Sold’’ shall also include an agreement to acquire such soybeans for a consideration. k. ‘‘Soybeans’’ means and includes all kinds and varieties of soybeans grown in the State of South Carolina and marketed or sold as beans by the producer. l. ‘‘Commercial quantities’’ means the sale or marketing of soybeans with a value of $1,000 or more by affected producers during the course of the most recently completed full marketing season. 5–2. South Carolina Soybean Board. 1. Establishment and Membership. A Soybean Board is hereby established with such powers and duties as are authorized by the Act and by subsection 9 of this section. The Board shall be composed of twelve (12) members elected by districts as provided in subsection 2 of this section, and an ex-officio member as specified by the Act. 2. Representative Districts. For the purpose of nomination and selection of producer members of the Board, the affected area shall be divided into five (5) representative districts as follows: a. ‘‘District Number 1’’ shall be and include the counties of Oconee, Pickens, Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, Cherokee, York, Lancaster, Abbeville, Laurens, Union, Chester, McCor- mick, Greenwood, Newberry, Saluda, and Fairfield. b. ‘‘District Number 2’’ shall be and include the counties of Edgefield, Aiken, Barnwell, Hampton, Allendale, Bamberg, Orangeburg, Calhoun, Richland, and Lexington. c. ‘‘District Number 3’’ shall be and include the counties of Chesterfield, Marlboro, Dillon, Florence, Darlington, Clarendon, Sumter, Lee, and Kershaw. d. ‘‘District Number 4’’ shall be and include the counties of Williamsburg, Georgetown, Marion, and Horry. e. ‘‘District Number 5’’ shall be and include the counties of Jasper, Beaufort, Colleton, Dorches- ter, Berkeley, and Charleston. 3. Membership. a. Producer members of the Board shall be elected from each district as follows: 1) One of the producer members, being position number 1, shall be elected from District Number 1. 2) Four of the producer members, being positions number 2, 3, 4, and 5, shall be elected from District Number 2. 3) Four of the producer members being positions number 6, 7, 8, and 9, shall be elected from District Number 3. 4) Two of the producer members, being positions number 10 and 11, shall be elected from District Number 4. 5) One of the producer members, being position number 12, shall be elected from District Number 5. b. One ex-officio member, being position number 13, shall be appointed by the Commission as specified by § 46-17-190. This ex-officio member shall be without vote in the actions of the Board. 4. Membership Qualifications. Board members shall be citizens and residents of the State of South Carolina, over the age of twenty-five (25) years. Producer members shall have been actually engaged in producing soybeans within this State for a period of five years and have during this period derived a substantial portion of their individual incomes therefrom. Producer members of the Board shall be active producers of soybeans in the district in and for which they are nominated and elected. The qualifications of producer members as set forth herein must continue during their term of office. The ex-officio member so designated by the Commission shall be either a soybean producer, a person active in or interested in matters related to soybeans, or a person not so related. 5. Term of Office; Initial Board. The term of office of the elected producer members shall be three (3) years from the date of their election and until their successors are elected and qualified. The initial members of the Board shall serve from the effective date of this Marketing Order in terms of office terminating as follows: Positions 1, 2, 6 and 10 shall terminate on December 31 nearest to three (3) years from the effective date of this Marketing Order; positions 3, 4, 7 and 11 shall terminate on December 31 nearest to two (2) years from the effective date of this Marketing Order; and positions 5, 8, 9 and 12 shall terminate on December 31 nearest to one year from the date of this Marketing Order. The term of office for the ex-officio member, being position Number 13, shall terminate three (3) years from the effective date of this Marketing Order. 6. Nomination and Election of Board Members. a. Not earlier than September 20 and not later than October 1 of each year, the Commission shall give notice by mail to all producers, in a district wherein a vacancy will occur in the Board, of such vacancy or such vacancies and call for nominations. Nominations of candidates for election shall be oral and shall follow such order and procedures as are specified by the Commission with the advice of the Board. The notice of such vacancies shall specify the date and time for a separate nominating meeting of affected producers in each required district at which meeting oral nominat- ing petitions shall be accepted by the Commission. Each oral nomination shall be seconded by no less than five (5) qualified producers, which seconding action shall be indicated by standing as the nomination is placed. Said nominating meetings shall be completed in each required district no later than October 15 of each year. Nominations may also be made within five (5) days after such meeting by written petition filed with the Commission and signed by not less than five (5) affected producers entitled to participate in such a meeting. b. Notice of every nominating meeting shall be published in a newspaper of general circulation within each district in which a vacancy shall occur not less than ten (10) days in advance of the date of such meeting. Written notice of every such meeting shall be posted on a public bulletin board as provided by § 46-17-80. c. Producer members shall be elected by secret mailed ballot to fill such vacancies as shall occur annually in the Board. Ballots shall be distributed to affected producers of record by mail no earlier than October 25 and no later than November 1 of each year. Each affected producer shall be entitled to one (1) vote. Provisions shall be made by the Commission with the advice of the Board to provide ballots to any qualified producer whose name does not appear on the list of producers maintained by the Commission pursuant to § 46-17-170 and who requests such ballot by mail or in person. Adequate control of ballots shall be maintained by the Commission with the advice of the Board. d. Ballots will be returned by affected producers no earlier than November 1 and no later than November 30 of each year. Ballots shall be returned to the Commission by mail to such address as may be determined by the Commission and which shall be clearly stated along with the voting period at the head of each ballot. Such mailed ballot shall be conducted in such a way and manner that it shall be a secret ballot in accordance with rules and regulations to be promulgated by the Commission. Newly elected and properly certified members of the Board shall take office on January 1 of each year. The Chairman of the Commission shall administer an appropriate oath of office to each member of the Board at such time and place as shall be proper. e. With respect to the initial Board, the Commission shall call for and receive nominations at the issuance hearings required by § 46-17-70. 7.