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, ensuring a fair regulatory environment; or increasing per capita consumption of blueberries in Washington state. The Washington state blueberry commodity board is designated by the director to conduct the following programs in accordance with chapter 15.65 RCW:

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

(a) Establish plans and conduct programs for marketing, sales, promotion and/or other programs for advertising, sales, promotion and/or other programs for maintaining present markets and/or creating new or larger markets for blueberries. Such programs shall be directed toward increasing the sale of blueberries without reference to any particular brand or trade name and shall neither make use of false or unwarranted claims in behalf of blueberries nor disparage the quality, value, sale or use of any other agricultural commodity. The board may also engage in cooperative efforts in the domestic or foreign marketing of blueberries.

(b) Provide for research in the production, processing, irrigation, transportation, handling, and/or marketing of blueberries and expend the necessary funds for such purposes. Insofar as practicable, research shall be carried on by experiment stations of Washington State University, but, if in the judgment of the board, said experiment stations do not have the 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.

(c) Provide by rules for:

(i) Establishing uniform labels and labeling requirements for blueberries or any products thereof, requiring producers, handlers and other persons to conform to standards for the placing of labels, trademarks, insignia or brands on containers or packages: Provided, That all licensed blueberry dealers and brokers are entitled to use on the face of their product any particular trademark, insignia, brand or label that they may now have or will have. That established brands, labels, trademarks or insignias may be properly used in selling or commercially disposing of blueberries and blueberry products or in offering the same for sale, advertising and/or delivering said blueberries or blueberry products;

(ii) Providing for inspection and enforcement to ascertain and effectuate compliance.

(d) The board may authorize use of any money received and of any persons employed thereunder for legal proceedings, of any type and in the name of any person, directed to enforcement of this or any other law in force in the state of Washington relating to the prevention of unfair trade practices.

(e) Conduct programs for the purpose of providing information and education including:

(i) Marketing information and services for producers of blueberries for the verification of grades, standards, weights, tests, and sampling of quality and quantity of blueberries purchased by handlers from affected producers.

(ii) Information and services enabling producers to meet their resource conservation objectives.

(iii) Blueberry-related education and training.

(f) Subject to the provisions of the act, provide information and communicate on matters pertaining to the production, irrigation, processing, transportation, marketing, or uses of blueberries produced in Washington state to any elected official or officer or employee of any agency.

(2) The director shall approve any plans, programs, and projects concerning:

(a) The establishment, issuance, effectuation, and administration of programs authorized under this section for advertising and promotion of blueberries.

(b) The establishment and effectuation of market research projects, market development projects, or both to the end that marketing and utilization of the affected commodity may be encouraged, expanded, improved, or made more efficient.