(a)
The secretary shall appoint a Shell Egg Advisory Committee consisting of 10 members, eight of whom shall be selected by the secretary from egg handlers and be representative of the egg industry. The secretary shall appoint two alternates who may serve in the absence of any of the eight egg handler representatives. The California Agricultural Commissioners and Sealers Association shall annually designate one of its members who shall serve in a nonvoting capacity as the ninth member of the committee. The secretary also shall select and appoint one public member to the committee pursuant to subdivision (b). The members of the committee shall receive no salary.
(b)
Upon the
secretary’s request, the committee shall submit to the secretary the names of three or more natural persons, each of whom shall be a citizen and resident of this state and not a producer, shipper, or processor nor financially interested in any producer, shipper, or processor, for appointment by the secretary as a public member of the committee. The secretary may appoint one of the nominees as the public member on the committee. If all nominees are unsatisfactory to the secretary, the committee shall continue to submit lists of nominees until the secretary has made a selection. A vacancy in the office of the public member of the committee shall be filled by appointment by the secretary from the nominee or nominees similarly qualified submitted by the committee. The public member of the committee shall represent the interests of the general public in all matters coming before the committee and shall have the same voting and other rights and immunities as other members of the
committee.