§ 1250.356 Certification of organizations.

Any organization may request the Secretary for certification of eligibility to participate in nominating members and alternate members on the Board to represent the geographic area in which the organization represents egg producers. Such eligibility shall be based in addition to other available information upon a factual report submitted by the organization which shall contain information deemed relevant and specified by the Secretary for the making of such determination, including, but not limited to, the following: (a) Geographic territory covered by the organization's active membership; (b) Nature and size of the organization's active membership, proportion of total of such active membership accounted for by producers of commercial eggs, a chart showing the egg production by State in which the organization has members, and the volume of commercial eggs produced by the organization's active membership in such State(s); (c) The extent to which the commercial egg producer membership of such organization is represented in setting the organization's policies; (d) Evidence of stability and permanency of the organization; (e) Sources from which the organization's operating funds are derived; (f) Functions of the organization; and (g) The organization's ability and willingness to further the aims and objectives of the act. The primary consideration in determining the eligibility of an organization shall be whether its egg producer membership consists of a substantial number of egg producers who produce a substantial volume of the applicable geographic area's commercial eggs to reasonably warrant its participation in the nomination of members for the Board or to request the issuance of an order. The Secretary shall certify any organization which he finds to be eligible under this section and his determination as to eligibility shall be final.