SECTIONS 79601-79606 - California Statutes

FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL CODE

SECTION 79601-79606

79601. The California beekeeping industry provides critical
pollination services to growers of over 90 California agricultural
crops that constitute one-third of our daily diet and 37.5 percent of
California's total agricultural production. Additionally, California
beekeepers rank in the top four states annually in honey production.
The industry provides substantial and necessary revenues for the
state and for its citizens.

79602. The establishment of the commission is necessary for the
efficient creation and management of a research program to protect
the health of honeybees, an integrated approach to manage pests and
diseases common to honeybees, and to develop more efficient colony
management practices. The commission is also necessary to ensure the
existence of the segment of the industry that provides one-half of
the queen bees, bulk bees, and starter colonies to other beekeepers
throughout the United States and Canada. The commission is also
necessary for the efficient development and management of state and
national education programs that, combined with research, will
enhance the competitiveness of the California beekeeping industry
worldwide.

79603. The provision of pollination services, production of honey,
bees, queen bees, and other hive products in this state is hereby
declared to be affected with a public interest. This chapter is
enacted in the exercise of the police power of this state for the
purpose of protecting the health, peace, safety, and general welfare
of the people of this state.

79604. The commission form of administration created by this
chapter is designed to provide those engaged in beekeeping the
opportunity to avail themselves of the benefits of collective action
in the broad field of apiary research necessary to achieve the
purposes stated in this chapter.

79605. No action taken by the commission or by any individual
commission member, that is in accordance with this chapter or with
regulations adopted under this chapter, is a violation of the
Cartwright Act (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 16700) of Part 2
of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), the Unfair
Practices Act (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 17000) of Part 2 of
Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), or any statutory
or common law against monopolies or combinations in restraint of
trade.

79606. This chapter shall be liberally construed. If any provision
of this chapter or the application thereof to any person or
circumstances is held to be invalid, the invalidity shall not affect
other provisions or applications of the chapter which can be given
effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end
the provisions of this chapter are severable.