(a) Definition. In this Section, “Committee” means the Agricultural Advisory Committee.
(b) Established. The Executive must appoint, subject to confirmation by the Council, an Agricultural Advisory Committee.
(c) Composition; Term.
(1) The Committee has 15 voting members.
(2) The Executive should appoint:
(A) 12 members to a 3-year term who are bona fide farmers who represent the total farm community and reflect a variety of farm sizes, geographical locations and agricultural projects, at least 3 of whom must be owner-operators of commercial farm land earning 50% or more of their income from farming, and including:
(i) 1 farm economist; and
(ii) 1 conservationist; and
(B) 3 members who have no significant direct financial interest in farming, to a 1-year term to represent broad non-farm County interests. These members may be appointed to successive terms.
(3) The Committee may designate ex-officio members as necessary.
(4) If a member is appointed to fill a vacancy before a term expires, the successor serves the rest of the unexpired term.
(d) Officers, meetings, and compensation.
(1) The Committee must elect a chair and vice-chair from among its members.
(2) The Committee meets at the call of the Chair. The Committee must meet as often as necessary to perform its duties, but not less than 10 times each year.
(3) A member serves without compensation. However, a member may request reimbursement for mileage and dependent care costs at rates established by the County.
(e) Duties.
(1) The Committee must:
(A) after conferring with the Office of Agriculture, advise the Executive and Council on all matters affecting agriculture in the County;
(B) bring matters of particular importance to the attention of the Executive and Council; and
(C) comment on matters referred to it by the Executive and Council.
(f) Annual Report. By January 30 of each year, the Committee must submit to the Executive and Council an annual report that:
(1) outlines the activities undertaken the previous calendar year;
(2) identifies problems affecting agriculture in the County; and
(3) make recommendations for government programs that may be necessary to maintain a healthy agricultural economy in the County.
(g) Advocacy. The Committee must not engage in any advocacy activity at the State or federal levels unless that activity is approved by the Office fo Intergovernmental Relations.
(h) Staff. The Chief Administrative Officer must provide appropriate staff to the Committee. (2009 L.M.C., ch. 26, § 1; 2010 L.M.C., ch. 49, § 1; 2015 L.M.C., ch. 36, § 1.)
Editor’s note—2009 L.M.C., ch. 26, § 2, states: Transition. Section 2B-21, as added by Sec. 1 of this Act, establishes an Agricultural Advisory Committee. This Committee continues the Agricultural Advisory Committee created under Council Resolution 7-1138 and restructured under Council Resolution 8-705. The County Executive may reappoint, subject to Council confirmation, the members of the Agricultural Advisory Committee. The Executive should continue to stagger the terms of the members of the Agricultural Advisory Committee so that approximately one-third of the terms continue to expire each year.