Order means Marketing Order No. 917, as amended (this part 917), regulating the handling of fresh pears grown in the State of California.

Marketing agreement means Marketing Agreement No. 85 as amended.

All other terms used in this subpart shall have the same meaning as when used in the marketing agreement and order.

Unless otherwise prescribed in this subpart, or in the marketing agreement and order, or required by the Control Committee, or a particular commodity committee, all reports, applications, submittals, requests, and communications in connection with the marketing agreement and order shall be addressed as follows:

(a) All shippers who, prior to February 1 of the then current year, have not advised the manager of the Control Committee in writing of their participation in the formation of an elective body shall be notified promptly by the manager after that date, by mail, of the time and place for a meeting of such shippers to elect nominees for shipper membership on the Control Committee.

(b) The chairman of the then existing Control Committee shall schedule a meeting of shippers in the month of February of the then current year, for the purpose of making nominations to the shipper membership of the Control Committee; and such chairman is authorized to appoint a member of the Control Committee to act as chairman of the meeting and to conduct the election.

(a) The manager of the then existing Control Committee shall arrange for, and publicize, meetings of growers to nominate members for the different commodity committees, and each such meeting shall be attended by one or more employees of the Control Committee. Members of the Agricultural Extension Service of the University of California may be authorized by the manager to assist in calling such meetings and advise growers, on their respective mailing lists, of such meetings.

(b) Growers assembled at any such meetings may select a chairman and secretary, but in the event none of the aforesaid employees of the Control Committee is selected as secretary of the meeting, one such employee shall, nevertheless, record all nominations made.

(c) The nominations at any meeting shall be conducted according to Robert's rules of order. However, voting may be by secret ballot or by acclamation in accordance with the desire of the majority of the growers attending the meeting.

(d) No individual, whether representing a corporation or otherwise, may cast more than one vote for each nominee to be selected at the meeting where such individual is eligible to participate in the selection of nominees for members and alternate members of the Commodity Committees.

Nominations for membership on the Pear Commodity Committee shall be made by the growers of pears in the respective representation areas as follows:

(a) North Sacramento Valley District, Central Sacramento Valley District, Placer-Colfax District, El Dorado District, and all of the production area not included in paragraphs (b) through (d) of this section, one nominee.

(b) Sacramento River District, Stockton District, Stanislaus District, Contra Costa District, Santa Clara District and Solano District, three nominees.

(c) Lake District, six nominees.

(d) Mendocino District and North Bay District, three nominees.

(a) Public members shall not have a financial interest in or be associated with production, processing, financing, or marketing (except as consumers) of the commodities regulated under this part.

(b) Public members should be able to devote sufficient time and express a willingness to attend committee activities regularly, and to familiarize themselves with the background and economics of the industry.

(c) Public members must be residents of California.

(d) Public members should be nominated by each Commodity Committee and should serve a two-year term which coincides with the term of office of grower members of Commodity Committees.

(a) Waivers. A handler may handle fruit without inspection and certification, as prescribed under § 917.45, if all the following conditions are met:

(1) The handler requests the Federal-State Inspection Service to provide inspection during its regular working hours at least two hours in advance of the time when inspection is needed. The request need not be in writing but it shall be confirmed immediately in writing on a waiver form supplied by the inspection service;

(2) The Federal-State Inspection Service advises the handler that it is not practicable to provide inspection at the time and place designated by the handler. Such advice may be verbal but it shall be confirmed in writing by the Federal-State Inspection Service by execution of the waiver form on which the handler submitted his written request. A confirmed copy thereof shall be forwarded by the inspection service to the office of the Control Committee;

(3) The Federal-State Inspection Service furnishes the handler with the number of the waiver which shall cover the fruit on which inspection is requested;

(4) When so instructed, the handler plainly and conspicuously marks one end of each container with the letter W and the waiver number supplied by the Federal-State Inspection Service. The letter W and the number so marked shall be not less than one-half inch in height.

(b) Minimum quantities. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, pears may be handled without regard to the provisions of §§ 917.37, 917.41, 917.42, 917.45 and 917.50 under the following conditions:

(1) Such pears meet the grade requirements set forth in Articles 35, 38, and 34, respectively of the Food and Agriculture Code of California.

(2) Such pears are for home use and not for resale.

(3) The shipment does not exceed 200 pounds of pears to any one vehicle during any one day.

(4) Such pears are handled by the person who produces them; and the handling takes place (i) on the premises where grown, (ii) at a packinghouse or retail stand nearby which is operated by said handler, or (iii) at a certified farmers market in compliance with section 1392 of the regulations of the California Department of Food and Agriculture: Provided, That the exemption for certified farmers markets shall not apply to fruit sorted out by a handler unless such fruit is packed in containers clearly and legibly marked to show that the fruit contained therein is only to be sold at a certified farmers market, and the handler complies with regulations established under §§ 917.37, 917.41(a)(1), 917.45, and 917.50, except that such fruit may be handled to such markets if the fruit fails to meet the applicable grade only on account of being soft and overripe.

Any person may file a request with the Pear Commodity Committee to transport pears to a packing facility located in the State of Oregon without inspection and certification prior to such transporting. The committee may approve such a request subject to the following terms and conditions:

(a) Approval shall be requested by the person prior to transporting the pears out of the area of production.

(b) Such person shall file with the committee, in such manner as required, reports showing, among other things, the date and quantity of pears comprising each shipment of pears transported to Oregon and the disposition thereof.

(c) All such pears shall be of the person's own production and the packing facility to which they are transported must be owned and operated by that person.

(d) All such pears shall be inspected and certified, as required by § 917.45, by the Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service prior to the time such pears are shipped from the packing facility. Any pears shipped to any such facility which, upon inspection, do not meet the requirements of the then effective grade, size, or quality regulations, may be shipped, or handled, within the State, for consumption by any charitable institution or for distribution by any relief agency or for conversion into products. Prior to any such shipment or handling, there shall first have been submitted to the committee proof satisfactory to the committee that the pears will not be handled contrary to the requirements of the marketing agreement and order. Such proof shall include a written certificate, executed by both the handler and the intended receiver, stating that the pears will not be used for any purpose not authorized by this section.

(a) Report of daily packout. When requested by the Pear Commodity Committee, each shipper who ships pears shall furnish to the manager of the Control Committee or when designated to the Federal-State Inspection Service a report of the number of packages by container type, by variety and by district of origin, which the shipper packed during the preceding day.

(b) Recapitulation of shipments. When requested by the Pear Commodity Committee, each shipper of pears shall furnish to the manager of the Control Committee a recapitulation of his shipments. The recapitulation shall show:

(1) The name of the shipper,

(2) The shipping point,

(3) The district of origin,

(4) The variety, and

(5) The number of packages, by size, for each container type.

(c) Report of pears held in storage. Each shipper who has pears under refrigeration in a storage warehouse shall upon request, file with the manager of the Control Committee within the time specified in the request an accurate report containing the following information:

(1) The name and address of the shipper; and

(2) The total quantity, as of the date specified in the request, of pears in storage outside of the State of California and in storage in the State of California.