(a) There is hereby established a Beef Promotion Operating Committee of 20 members. The Committee shall be composed of 10 Board members elected by the Board and 10 producers elected by the Federation.

(b) Board representation on the Committee shall consist of the chairperson, vice-chairperson and treasurer of the Board, and seven representatives of the Board who will be duly elected by the Board to serve on the Committee. The seven representatives to the Committee elected by the Board shall, to the extent practical, reflect the geographic and unit distribution of cattle numbers, or the equivalent thereof.

(c) Federation representation on the Committee shall consist of the Federation chairperson, vice-chairperson, and eight duly elected producer representatives of the Federation Board of Directors who are members or ex officio members of the Board of Directors of a qualified State beef council. The eight representatives of the Federation elected to serve on the Committee shall, to the extent practical, reflect the geographic distribution of cattle numbers. The Federation shall submit to the Secretary the names of the representatives elected by the Federation to serve on the Committee and the manner in which such election was held and that such representatives are producers and are members or ex officio members of the Board of Directors of a qualified State beef council on the Federation Board of Directors. The prospective Federation representatives shall file with the Secretary a written agreement to serve on the Committee and to disclose any relationship with any beef promotion entity or with any organization that has or is being considered for a contractual relationship with the Board or the Committee. When the Secretary is satisfied that the above conditions are met, the Secretary shall certify such representatives as eligible to serve on the Committee.