2011 Vermont Code
Title 06 Agriculture
Chapter 162 AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
§ 2962 Establishment of Vermont agricultural innovation center

§ 2962. Establishment of Vermont agricultural innovation center

(a) The Vermont agricultural innovation center is hereby established.

(b) The Vermont agricultural innovation center shall be administered by a board consisting of 13 members with no more than four members representing in a primary capacity any one agricultural sector. The board shall comprise the following:

(1) The secretary of agriculture, food and markets, who shall serve as chair; and

(2) The following four members appointed by the governor: One member from a group representing each of the four highest grossing commodities produced in Vermont as determined on the basis of annual gross cash sales. These four commodity groups presently include the dairy industry, the maple industry, the livestock industry, and the produce industry;

(3) The following eight members appointed by the speaker of the house and the committee on committees of the senate:

(A) One representative from each of the two largest membership-based agricultural organizations in Vermont;

(B) Six members with knowledge of or experience in the production or marketing of value-added agricultural products.

(c) The Vermont agricultural innovation center's powers are vested in the board, and a quorum shall consist of seven members. No action of the board shall be considered valid unless the action is supported by a majority vote of the members present and voting and then only if at least seven members vote in favor of the action.

(d) Any vacancy occurring among the members of the board shall be filled by the respective appointing authority pursuant to this section. A board member may be reappointed, provided that no board member, except the secretary of agriculture, food and markets, may serve more than two consecutive three-year terms. Each member of the board shall serve a three-year term, except:

(1) the governor shall appoint initially one member to a one-year term, one member to a two-year term, and two members to a three-year term;

(2) the speaker of the house shall appoint initially two members to a one-year term, one member to a two-year term, and one member to a three-year term; and

(3) the committee on committees shall appoint initially one member to a one-year term, two members to a two-year term, and one member to a three-year term.

(e) Board members whose membership is not supported by their employer or association may receive per diem and reimbursement for travel as provided in 32 V.S.A. { 1010 to the extent that funds are available. (Added 1975, No. 217 (Adj. Sess.), { 2; amended 1989, No. 256 (Adj. Sess.), { 10(a), eff. Jan. 1, 1991; 2003, No. 42, { 2, eff. May 27, 2003; 2009, No. 33, { 83; 2009, No. 101 (Adj. Sess.), { 1, eff. Jan. 15, 2011.)