March 16, 2006, Introduced by Senators JELINEK, VAN WOERKOM, BIRKHOLZ, HARDIMAN, CROPSEY, KUIPERS, BROWN, GILBERT, BARCIA, ALLEN and GOSCHKA and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Tourism.
A bill to amend 2000 PA 322, entitled
"Julian-Stille value-added act,"
(MCL 285.301 to 285.304) by adding section 2b.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 2b. (1) The director of the department shall convene an
agricultural value-added commercialization roundtable to discuss
all facets of the commercialization of agricultural products,
processes, and services, including, but not limited to, the
availability of capital, innovation infrastructure, and university
licensing of agricultural research. The director of the department
shall invite at least all of the following to participate in the
roundtable:
(a) Three individuals from an association representing
farmers.
(b) Two individuals from an association representing food
processors.
(c) Two individuals from an association representing
agribusiness.
(d) Two individuals representing agricultural lending
institutions.
(e) One individual representing Michigan state university.
(2) The first meeting of the roundtable shall be convened by
the director of the department within 90 days after the effective
date of this section. The director of the department shall convene
the roundtable at least twice each calendar year, except that if
this section takes effect after September 30, the roundtable shall
convene at least once the first calendar year. The roundtable may
advise the director of the department on the need for a more
frequent meeting schedule. The meetings of the roundtable shall be
open to the general public and shall be held in a place available
to the general public. The department shall provide notice of each
meeting of the roundtable by posting on the department website and
such other means as the department determines appropriate. At least
1 meeting of the roundtable each year shall be held in a rural
community. At such a meeting, the public shall be provided an
opportunity to address the roundtable on issues within its purview.
The department shall prepare a summary of each meeting of the
roundtable including a department response to issues raised during
the roundtable meeting. The department shall do both of the
following:
(a) Post the summary on its website.
(b) Provide a copy of the summary to the members of the
roundtable, to any member of the public requesting a copy, and to
the standing committees of the senate and house of representatives
dealing primarily with agricultural issues.
Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect
unless all of the following bills of the 93rd Legislature are
enacted into law:
(a) Senate Bill No. 1168.
(b) Senate Bill No. 1169.