Sec. 303.
(1) The grape and wine industry council is created in the department of agriculture. The council shall consist of all of the following:
(a) Three wine makers.
(b) A wine grape grower.
(c) The director of consumer and industry services or his or her designee.
(d) The director of the department of agriculture or his or her designee.
(e) A staff member of Michigan state university appointed by, and serving at the pleasure of, the dean of the college of agriculture and natural resources of Michigan state university.
(f) The chairperson of the commission or his or her designee, as an ex officio member.
(g) A person who operates a retail food establishment that holds a specially designated merchant license and sells Michigan wines or a person who operates a restaurant that holds a class C license and serves Michigan wines.
(h) A beer and wine wholesaler who markets Michigan wine.
(i) Not more than 2 additional members appointed as prescribed in subsection (3).
(2) The members of the council described in subsection (1)(a), (b), (g), and (h) shall be appointed by the governor. The council members appointed under subsection (1)(g) and (h) shall be appointed for 2-year terms beginning on October 1, 1991. Of the council members appointed for terms beginning October 1, 1991, 1 shall be appointed for a 1-year term, and 3 shall be appointed for terms of 2 years each. All appointments for terms beginning on or after October 1, 1992 shall be for 2 years each. A member shall continue to serve until a qualified successor has been appointed. A member shall not serve more than 2 consecutive terms. A vacancy on the board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. The director of the department of agriculture shall act as chairperson of the council.
(3) The governor may appoint not more than 2 additional members to the council who shall assist the council in performing its duties, but who shall not have the power to vote. The persons appointed under this subsection shall not be members of the classified state civil service, shall serve at the pleasure of the governor, and shall receive salaries and benefits determined and paid by the department of agriculture.
(4) The council may employ personnel and incur such expenses as are necessary to carry out the purposes of the council under this act. All such expenses shall be paid from fees credited to the wine industry council under section 543(2). A member of the council or an employee or agent of the council shall not be personally liable on the contracts of the council.
(5) A nongovernmental member of the council shall receive $50.00 per day for each day spent in actual attendance at meetings of the council and traveling expenses while on council business in accordance with standard travel regulations of the department of management and budget.
(6) The council shall maintain accurate books and records, and all funds received by the council shall be used to implement and enforce this section.
(7) The council shall do all of the following:
(a) Provide for research on wine grapes and wines, including, but not limited to, methods of planting, growing, controlling insects and diseases, charting microclimates and locations for growing desirable varieties of wine grapes, marketing, processing, distribution, advertising, sales production, and product development.
(b) Provide the wine industry, including growers, wineries, distributors, and retailers, with information relative to proper methods of handling and selling wine grapes and wines.
(c) Provide for market surveys and analyses for purposes of expanding existing markets and creating new and larger markets for wine grapes and wines.
(d) Provide for the promotion of the sale of Michigan wine grapes and wines for the purpose of maintaining or expanding present markets and creating new and larger domestic and foreign markets.
(e) Develop and administer financial aid programs to wine grape growers to encourage the increased planting in this state of desirable grape varieties in microclimates determined to provide the best conditions for producing quality wines.
(8) The council may promulgate rules pursuant to the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.201 to 24.328, for the purposes of implementing and enforcing this section. However, a rule shall not be promulgated that conflicts with a rule promulgated by the commission pursuant to section 215.
(9) As used in this section, “council” means the grape and wine industry council created in subsection (1).
History: 1998, Act 58, Imd. Eff. Apr. 14, 1998
Last modified: October 10, 2016