(a) Members and alternate members of the Board serving immediately prior to the effective date of this amended subpart shall continue to serve on the Board until their respective successors have been selected.

(b) Nominations for successor handler members and alternate members specified in §982.30(b) (1) through (3) shall be made by the largest, second largest, and third largest handler determined according to the tonnage of certified merchantable hazelnuts and, when shelled hazelnut grade and size regulations are in effect, the inshell equivalent of certified shelled hazelnuts (computed to the nearest whole ton) recorded by the Board as handled by each such handler during the two marketing years preceding the marketing year in which nominations are made.

(c) Nominations for successor handler member and alternate handler member positions specified in §982.30(b)(4) shall be made by the handlers in that category by mail ballot. All votes cast shall be weighted according to the tonnage of certified merchantable hazelnuts and, when shelled hazelnut grade and size regulations are in effect, the inshell equivalent of certified shelled hazelnuts (computed to the nearest whole ton) recorded by the Board as handled by each handler during the two marketing years preceding the marketing year in which nominations are made. If less than one ton is recorded for any such handler, the vote shall be weighted as one ton. Voting will be by position, and each eligible handler can vote for a member and an alternate member. The person receiving the highest number of weighted votes for each position shall be the nominee for that respective position.

(d) For the purposes of nominating and voting for handler members and alternates, the tonnage of hazelnuts shall be credited to the handler responsible under the order for the payment of assessments of those hazelnuts.

(e) Nominees to successor grower member and alternate member positions shall be submitted to the Secretary after the Board conducts balloting of growers, or officers or employees of growers, in the grower districts according to the following procedure: Names of the candidates to be shown on the ballot for a particular district may be submitted to the Board on petitions signed by not less than 10 growers on record with the Board as growers being in that district; each grower may sign only as many petitions as there are persons to be nominated within that district. If such petitions fail to result in submission of at least two names for a district, the Board shall request County Agricultural Extension Agents in that district to recommend one or more eligible growers to be included on the ballot. Ballots, accompanied by the names of all such candidates, with spaces to indicate voters' choices and spaces for write-in candidates, together with voting instructions, shall be mailed to all growers who are on record with the Board. The person receiving the highest number of votes shall be the member nominee for that district, and the person receiving the second highest number of votes shall be the alternate member. The Board shall recommend one candidate in case of a tie vote.

(f) Nominations received in the foregoing manner by the Board for all handler and grower member and alternate member positions shall be certified and sent to the Secretary at least 60 days prior to the beginning of each two-year term of office, together with all necessary data and other information deemed by the Board to be pertinent or requested by the Secretary. If nominations are not made within the time and manner specified in this subpart, the Secretary may, without regard to nominations, select the Board members and alternates on the basis of the representation provided for in this subpart.

(g) The members of the Board shall nominate the public member and alternate public member at the first meeting following the selection of members for a new term of office.

(h) The Board with the approval of the Secretary shall issue rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section or to change the procedures in this section in the event they are no longer practical.

[51 FR 29547, Aug. 19, 1986, as amended at 61 FR 17559, Apr. 22, 1996]