(a) It is declared to be in the interest of the public welfare that the Maryland farmers who are producers of livestock, poultry, field crops, including nursery stock, bulbs, and flowers; and other agricultural products having a domestic or foreign market, shall be permitted and encouraged to act jointly and in cooperation with growers, handlers, dealers, and processors of these products in promoting and stimulating, by advertising and other methods, the increased production, and domestic and foreign use and sale of any agricultural commodities.
(b) The passage by the Seventy-Ninth Congress of a law designated as Public Law 733, and, particularly Title II of that act, cited as “Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946”, makes it important for producers, handlers, processors, and others concerned with specific agricultural commodities to associate themselves in action programs, separately, and with public and private agencies, to obtain the greatest and most immediate benefits under the provisions of the federal law, in respect to research, studies, and problems of marketing, transportation, and distribution.
(c) It is declared to be in the public interest and highly advantageous to the State’s agricultural economy that farmers, producers, and growers commercially producing agricultural commodities be permitted by referendum to be held among the respective groups and, subject to the provisions of this article, to levy upon themselves an assessment on the respective commodities or upon the acreage used in their production and provide for the collection of the assessment. The assessments are for the financing, or to contribute towards the financing, of a program of advertising and other methods designed to increase consumption and domestic and foreign markets for any agricultural commodity. The assessments also may be used for the financing, or to contribute towards the financing, of a program of production, use, and sale of any agricultural commodity.
Structure Maryland Statutes
Title 10 - Promotion and Identification of Agricultural Products
Subtitle 1 - Promotion of Use and Sale of Agricultural Commodity
Section 10-103 - Activities Not Deemed Illegal or in Restraint of Trade
Section 10-106 - Referendum on Area or Statewide Basis; Participation; Question
Section 10-107 - Distribution of Ballots; Poll Holders; Canvass of Result of Referendum
Section 10-108 - Effect of Affirmative Referendum Vote
Section 10-109 - Subsequent Referenda
Section 10-110 - Use of Assessment
Section 10-111 - Deduction of Assessments by Purchasers of Agricultural Commodities
Section 10-112 - Collection of Assessments From Producers of Tree Fruits
Section 10-113 - Deduction of Assessments by Purchasers of Livestock for Slaughter
Section 10-115 - Publication of Statement of Amounts Received From Assessments; Treasurer's Bond
Section 10-116 - Deductions to Defray Expenses of Making Assessments