As used in this article, the following terms have the following meanings:
(a) "Agricultural commissioner" means the Agricultural Commissioner of Yolo County or his or her designee(s).
(b) "Agricultural commodity" means any nut crop of any quantity in a raw and unprocessed form.
(c) "Buyer" means any person engaged in the purchase of an agricultural commodity, and who is licensed to engage in such business by the state.
(d) "Gleaning" means the process through which agricultural commodities remaining on the ground following the grower's completion of the harvest are gathered with the permission of a grower and with proof of ownership.
(e) "Grower" means any person who has grown and harvested an agricultural commodity.
(f) "Non-processing nut buying operation" means a buyer of nuts which have not been dried or processed who does not have on-site processing.
(g) "Nuts" means the seed or ripened ovule of the walnut, almond or pistachio tree including the kernel, shell and hull.
(h) "Nut buying period" is defined as the period beginning August 1 of the current calendar year, and proceeding to April 1 of the following calendar year. Such period shall be proclaimed seventy-two (72) hours in advance by press release by the Agricultural Commissioner.
(i) "Person" means any individual, firm, partnership, joint venture, corporation or other entity growing, possessing, buying, transporting or selling an agricultural commodity as a principal or as an agent of another.
(j) "Proof of ownership" means:
(1) If the possessor of the agricultural commodity is the grower of the commodity, proof that the commodity was grown by the grower. Proof of ownership in this context shall mean documents or information sufficient to verify that the possessor is the grower of the commodity.
(2) If the possessor of the agricultural commodity is a person other than the grower of the possessed agricultural commodity, a completed proof of ownership certificate meeting the requirements of this article.
(k) "Seller" means a person who sells or attempts to sell an agricultural commodity to a buyer or other person. (§ 2, Ord. 1441, eff. June 12, 2014)