(1) Whenever the secretary has reason to believe that the issuance of a marketing order or agreement will effectuate the declared policy of this chapter with respect to any agricultural commodity, the secretary shall, on the secretary’s own motion or upon petition of affected producers or handlers of the agricultural commodity, give due notice of and an opportunity for a public hearing upon a proposed marketing order or agreement. (1m) If the secretary, based on periodic assessments of markets for bioenergy feedstocks, determines that the issuance of a marketing order or agreement for bioenergy feedstocks will effectuate the declared policy of this chapter, the secretary shall propose the issuance of a marketing order or agreement under sub. (1) for bioenergy feedstocks. (2) Petitions for a marketing order or agreement shall be signed by at least 5 percent of the producers or handlers of the affected commodity. The petitions shall include the name and mailing address of each petitioner, the quantities in which the affected commodity was produced or handled by them in the last preceding year, and a clear statement of the substance or nature of the proposed order or agreement, and shall be accompanied by a draft of the proposed order or agreement. Within a reasonable time after receipt of a petition, the secretary shall either schedule the proposal for public hearing as provided in sub. (1), or deny the petition in writing if in the judgment of the secretary the proposal exceeds the purposes or limitations of this chapter. If the petition is denied, the secretary shall give notice, within 60 days, of the denial and the notice shall include a clear statement of the specific reasons for the denial. Notice of the denial shall be published as a class 1 notice under ch. 985. If a petition is denied it may not be reconsidered by the secretary for a period of one year from the date of notice of the denial. (3) Prior to the issuance of a notice of public hearing on any proposed marketing order or agreement, the secretary shall establish a list of producers or handlers of the affected commodity or make any existing list current. The list of producers or handlers who may be affected by the proposed order or agreement may be established from other records kept by the department or records that may be available from any other reliable source. The secretary may, as necessary in establishing lists or keeping existing lists current, require producers or handlers of the affected commodity to file with the secretary a report showing the producer’s or handler’s name and mailing address and the yearly average quantity of affected commodities produced or handled by the producer or handler in the 5 years preceding the date of the notice, or in such lesser period as the producer or handler has produced or handled the commodity in question. (4) If the secretary requires the filing of reports, notice of the requirement shall be published as a class 1 notice, under ch. 985, and otherwise distributed or publicized within the affected areas in such a manner as the secretary deems necessary to ensure that effective notice is given of the report filing requirement. All reports shall be filed with the secretary within 20 days from the date of publication of the notice or within such other period as the secretary prescribes. The secretary shall keep such lists at all times as current as possible and may require information from affected producers or handlers at various times in accordance with rules prescribed by the secretary. No marketing order for any agricultural commodity shall be issued unless the secretary finds that the list established under this section represents at least a majority of the affected producers or handlers. (5) The list of producers or handlers established by the department shall be final and conclusive in determining whether the issuance of a marketing order or marketing agreement has been approved by referendum or written assent, and in determining the eligibility of nominees and voters in elections for board members. Nothing in this section shall prohibit affected producers or handlers whose names and addresses are not on the department list from participating under this chapter and registering their names and addresses and, as required, quantities of commodities produced or handled by them, in connection with the execution of an assent, or the casting of a ballot in a referendum or election. (6) Prior to conducting any hearing, or submitting a proposed marketing order or agreement to affected producers or handlers for their approval, the secretary may require petitioners to deposit with the department funds reasonably necessary to defray the costs and expenses that may be incurred by the department in establishing producer or handler lists, sending mail, issuing notices, conducting hearings and referendum or assent proceedings, and other related costs and expenses that may be incurred prior to issuing a marketing order or agreement. The secretary shall refund to petitioners all funds in excess of those actually used. (7) A marketing order or marketing agreement may be amended or terminated as provided under s. 96.08. The secretary may suspend a marketing agreement whenever the secretary finds after a public hearing duly noticed that such an agreement cannot be reasonably enforced or is contrary to the purposes of this chapter. (8) The secretary shall develop, maintain and distribute administrative policies and guidelines that establish uniform terms, conditions, definitions and nomenclature to be used in marketing orders and agreements.
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