AMENDMENT 715 RATIFIED

Organization and Promotion of Sheep and Goat Industry.

The Legislature, by general law, may provide for the promotion of the production, distribution, improvement, marketing, use, and sale of sheep or goats. The Legislature may provide for the promotion of sheep and goats and their products by research, education, advertising, and other methods. The Legislature may provide means and methods for the financing of any promotional activity by prescribing a procedure whereby producers of sheep and goats may levy upon themselves and collect assessments, fees, or charges upon the sale of sheep and goats for the financing of any promotional program or activity in cooperation with buyers, processors, dealers, distributors, and handlers of sheep and goats. The Legislature may make provisions for the nonpayment of assessments by sheep and goat producers and shall make provisions for the refund of assessments to any producer of sheep or goats who does not desire to participate in an assessment program. The Legislature shall provide for the collection, disbursement, distribution, or expenditure of assessments or charges authorized by this amendment and provide penalties for failure to make the collection and distribution of assessments. The Legislature shall provide for the designation of a nonprofit association or organization for the promotion and betterment of sheep and goats and their products to administer and carry out any promotional program which shall include the conducting of elections or referendums among producers of sheep and goats. The Legislature may provide the manner by which a referendum is held, including the procedure for application for approval to conduct the referendum, the appropriate action to be taken by the State Board of Agriculture and Industries on an application, the requirements and eligibility of the association or organization which will conduct the referendum, the procedures for voting and eligibility to vote in the referendum, and the details of the conduct of the referendum. The Legislature shall further provide for the deposit, withdrawal, disbursement, and expenditure by the designated association of any funds received subject to the supervision and control of the activities as authorized by the Department of Agriculture and Industries and the State Board of Agriculture and Industries. The Legislature shall further provide a procedure for the association or organization to be bonded, for the examination and auditing of the association or organization, and for reasonably necessary rules and regulations to be adopted by the State Board of Agriculture and Industries to effectively carry out the intent and purposes of this amendment. Assessments, fees, or other charges collected as authorized by any legislative act adopted under authority of this amendment are not to be considered a tax within the meaning of this constitution or any other provisions. Any uniformity requirements of this constitution shall be satisfied by the application of the program upon the sheep and goat industry.