SECTIONS 77721-77736

77721.  Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions inthis article govern the construction of this chapter.77722.  "Books and records" means books, records, contracts,documents, memoranda, papers, correspondence, or other written datapertaining to matters relating to the activities subject to thischapter.77723.  "Commission" means the California Date Commission.77724.  "Commissioner" means any member of the commission.77725.  "Date" means any variety of date produced in California,whether handled in whole or processed form.77726.  "Department" means the Department of Food and Agriculture.77727.  "Ex officio member" means a nonvoting member of thecommission.77727.5.  "Handle" means to engage in the business of a handler.77728.  "Handler" means any person engaged in processing andmarketing dates that the person has produced, purchased, or acquiredfrom a producer, or is marketing on behalf of a producer, whether asowner, agent, employee, broker, processor, or otherwise. "Handler"also includes a producer who sells, consigns, or otherwise transfersdates to a handler who is not subject to this chapter.77729.  "Market" or "marketing" means to sell, consign, or otherwisedistribute dates into commercial channels of trade resulting in thesale of dates. Dates shall also be considered "marketed" wheninspected and certified by any third party.77730.  "Marketing research" means any research relating to the saleof dates.77731.  "Marketing year" or "marketing season" means the period fromOctober 1 of any year to September 30, inclusive, of the followingyear. The marketing year may be changed by a vote of 2/3 of themembership of the commission.77732.  "Process" and "processing" are synonymous and mean theoperations of receiving, cleaning, grading, freezing, drying,preserving, chopping, mashing, pitting, slicing, concentrating,macerating, extruding, or otherwise preparing dates for market in anyform.77733.  "Producer" means any person in this state who grows dates ofany variety, and who, upon request, provides proof of commoditysale.77734.  "Product research" means any research related to thedevelopment of new uses for dates.77735.  "Production research" means any research related to theproduction, harvest, or post-harvest handling of dates.77736.  "Secretary" means the Secretary of Food and Agriculture.