Producer members of the Committee shall be at the time of their selection, and during their term of office, producers in the group, for which selected and if to represent a district also producers in the district for which selected, and, except for producer members representing cooperative producers, shall not be engaged in the handling of prunes either in a proprietary capacity or as a director, officer, or employee. Handler members of the Committee shall be handlers in the group they represent or directors, officers, or employees of such handlers. These eligibility requirements shall not apply to the public member and alternate member.