This marketing order is to promote the general welfare of the state and for the purpose of maintaining existing markets or creating new or larger local, domestic, and foreign markets; or increasing production efficiency of mint in Washington state. The Washington state mint commodity board is designated by the director to conduct the following programs in accordance with chapter 15.65 RCW:

(1) To enable producers of mint plants to help themselves develop improved production methods and/or programs for the control of disease, insects, and weeds associated with mint plant culture and to provide for the dissemination of information to affected producers.

(2) To carry out the purposes of the order the board shall provide for a program in one or more of the following areas:

(a) Provide for aid in research in the production of mint plants and the distilling of mint oil by producers and to expend the necessary funds for such purposes. Insofar as practicable, such research shall be carried out by experiment stations of Washington State University, but if in the judgment of the board said experiment stations do not have adequate facilities for a particular project or if some other research agency has better facilities therefor, the project may be carried out by other research agencies selected by the board.

(b) Provide for collection and dissemination of information pertaining to mint.