SB-1167, As Passed House, September 14, 2006

SUBSTITUTE FOR

SENATE BILL NO. 1167

     A bill to amend 2000 PA 322, entitled

"Julian-Stille value-added act,"

(MCL 285.301 to 285.304) by adding section 2b; and to repeal acts

and parts of acts.

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

     Sec. 2b. (1) The director of the department, for the purpose

of promoting innovation in Michigan agriculture and in an effort to

make more early-stage capital available to the agriculture

industry, shall convene an agricultural value-added

commercialization roundtable to discuss all facets of the

commercialization of agricultural products, processes, and

services, including, but not limited to, the availability of

capital, innovation infrastructure, and university licensing of

intellectual property. The director of the department shall invite

at least all of the following to participate in the roundtable:

     (a) Three individuals from an association representing

farmers.

     (b) Two individuals from an association representing food

processors.

     (c) Two individuals from an association representing

agribusiness.

     (d) Two individuals representing agricultural lending

institutions.

     (e) One individual representing an institute of higher

education.

     (f) One individual representing the United States department

of agriculture--rural development agency.

     (g) One individual representing the Michigan strategic fund.

     (h) One individual representing the rural development council

of Michigan.

     (2) The first meeting of the roundtable shall be convened by

the director of the department within 90 days after the effective

date of this section. The director of the department shall convene

the roundtable at least twice each calendar year, except that if

this section takes effect after September 30, the roundtable shall

convene at least once the first calendar year. The roundtable may

advise the director of the department on the need for a more

frequent meeting schedule. The meetings of the roundtable shall be

open to the general public and shall be held in a place available

to the general public. The department shall provide notice of each

meeting of the roundtable by posting on the department website and

such other means as the department determines appropriate. At least

1 meeting of the roundtable each year shall be held in a rural

community. At such a meeting, the public shall be provided an

opportunity to address the roundtable on issues within its purview.

The department shall prepare a summary of each meeting of the

roundtable including a department response to issues raised during

the roundtable meeting. The department shall do both of the

following:

     (a) Post the summary on its website.

     (b) Provide a copy of the summary to the members of the

roundtable, to any member of the public requesting a copy, and to

the standing committees of the senate and house of representatives

dealing primarily with agricultural issues.

     (3) This section is repealed effective 2 years after the

effective date of this section.

     Enacting section 1. This amendatory act does not take effect

unless all of the following bills of the 93rd Legislature are

enacted into law:

     (a) Senate Bill No. 1168.

     (b) Senate Bill No. 1169.