2-3325.

Legislative findings.

The Legislature finds that:

(1) The federal government has enacted the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990, 7 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., which provides for the establishment of a national program of promotion, research, consumer information, and industry information designed to strengthen the soybean industry's position in the marketplace and to maintain and expand existing domestic and foreign markets and uses for soybeans and soybean products;

(2) To carry out the program, assessments are made on the first marketing of soybeans. The federal Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990, 7 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., permits a qualified state soybean board to collect such assessments from producers. A qualified state soybean board may be a state agency or an entity governed by soybean producers;

(3) In 1975 the Nebraska Legislature enacted the Nebraska Soybean Resources Act which created the Soybean Development, Utilization, and Marketing Board to develop, carry out, and participate in programs of research, education, market development, and promotion of the soybean industry. The board is an agency of the state and carries out the duties of a qualified state soybean board for Nebraska, including collecting assessments as described in subdivision (2) of this section and depositing the qualified state soybean board's portion of such assessments in the Soybean Development, Utilization, and Marketing Fund;

(4) A state may have only one qualified state soybean board under the federal Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990, 7 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.;

(5) There would be many advantages in using a private nonprofit corporation rather than a state agency to carry out the purposes of the federal Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990, 7 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., including expediting business matters, eliminating duplication in accounting and auditing procedures, simplifying the appropriations process, and streamlining the disbursement of funds. The advantages provided to the public by operating as a state agency can be obtained by a private nonprofit corporation. A private nonprofit corporation can include in its bylaws procedures for open meetings, public notice of corporate programs and decisions, access to records, and a means by which a producer of soybeans has the opportunity to offer his or her ideas and suggestions relative to corporate policy;

(6) There are adequate protections provided by the federal Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1990, 7 U.S.C. 6301 et seq., and the rules and regulations promulgated under the act to ensure that the assessments made are used for the purposes of the act. These provisions apply to the qualified state soybean board regardless of whether the board is a state agency or a private nonprofit corporation;

(7) All money in the Soybean Development, Utilization, and Marketing Fund comes from assessments on the marketing of soybeans and none of the money comes from tax funds;

(8) All equipment, furniture, and other property of the Soybean Development, Utilization, and Marketing Board was purchased with money from the fund and not with tax funds; and

(9) Continuity to the soybean industry development program in Nebraska is important, and if changes in the program occur at the federal level, the Legislature can respond with appropriate legislation.