In order to promote agricultural interests of the various townships of this state and to provide for agricultural extension work for such townships, each township of this state through its township board is hereby authorized and empowered to cooperate to said end with the Michigan state university of agriculture and applied science; and may enter into agreements with reference thereto. The township board in any county may appropriate money, or raise money by taxation, for the purpose hereof. Two or more township boards may act jointly; and a township board may describe an extension area within any township and may levy a special tax from said area to carry out the provisions of this act.

     The provisions of this act shall not become operative in any township of this state to which it may apply unless and until it is submitted to a vote of the qualified electors thereof and ratified by a majority of said electors voting thereon. The question of the adoption of the provisions of this act may be submitted to the voters of the township at any general or special election, after the passage of the act, by resolution of the township board; and like notice of the submission of the same shall be given as is required by law in the case of elections to elect township officers, and shall be submitted in substantially the following form:

     "Shall the provisions of Act No. .... (here insert number of this act) of the Public Acts of 1956 (here state question to be submitted to electors) be adopted by this township?

     Yes ( )

     No ( )."

     If a majority of the electors voting on such proposition in any township, as determined by the canvass of votes cast, shall vote in favor thereof, from and after such determination, the provisions of this act shall be in force.

     The township board shall submit such proposition to the electors at the next general or special election whenever petitions for such submission, signed by 10% of the registered electors of the township as shown by the registration rolls, shall be filed with the township clerk.

     A petition under section 2 or 3, including the circulation and signing of the petition, is subject to section 488 of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.488. A person who violates a provision of the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992, applicable to a petition described in this section is subject to the penalties prescribed for that violation in the Michigan election law, 1954 PA 116, MCL 168.1 to 168.992.

     Any township, which has elected to come under the provisions of this act, may terminate the effect thereof, whenever a majority of the qualified electors of the township, voting upon the question, shall vote in favor of the following proposition:

     "Shall the provisions of Act No. ..... of the Public Acts of 1956, now effective within this township, be no longer operative herein?

     Yes ( )

     No ( )."

     Said question shall be submitted at any general township election, or at a special election called therefor, whenever petitions therefor, signed by a number of qualified electors, equal to 10% of the total number of registered electors, shown by the registration rolls of the township, shall be filed with the township clerk.