Every five years, commencing with the 2001–02 marketing season, the secretary shall hold a hearing to determine whether the operation of this chapter should be continued. If the secretary finds after the hearing that a substantial question exists among eligible persons regarding whether the operation of this chapter should be continued, the secretary shall submit the chapter to a reapproval referendum. If a reapproval referendum is required, the operation of this chapter shall be continued in effect if the secretary finds that a majority of the eligible persons voting in the referendum, voted in favor of continuing this chapter. In finding whether the commission is continued pursuant to this article, the vote of any nonprofit agricultural cooperative marketing association that is authorized by its members to so vote, shall be considered as being the approval or rejection by the individual members of, or the individual stockholders in, the nonprofit agricultural cooperative marketing association.