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 pulse crops in Washington state. The Washington state pulse crops 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 shall 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 maintaining present markets and/or creating new or larger markets for pulse crops. Such programs shall be directed toward increasing the sale of pulse crops without reference to any particular brand or trade name and shall neither make use of false or unwarranted claims on behalf of pulse crops nor disparage the quality, value, sale or use of any other agricultural commodity.

(b) Provide for research in the production, processing, irrigation, transportation, handling, and/or distribution of pulse crops and 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.

(c) Provide by rules for:

(i) Establishing uniform grades and standards of quality, condition, maturity, size, weight, pack, packages and/or label for pulse crops or any products thereof.

(ii) Requiring producers, handlers and/or other persons to conform to such grades and/or standards in packing, packaging, processing, labeling, selling or otherwise commercially disposing of pulse crops and/or in offering, advertising and/or delivering it therefor.

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

(iv) Providing that the board shall carry out inspection and enforcement of, and may (within the general provisions of the order) establish detailed provisions relating to, such standards and grades and such rules and regulations: Provided, That any modification not of a substantial nature, such as the modification of standards within a certain grade may be made without a hearing, and shall not be considered an amendment for the purposes of the act and order.

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

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

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

(iii) Pulse crops-related education and training.

(e) Subject to the provisions of the act, provide information and communicate on matters pertaining to the production, irrigation, processing, transportation, marketing, or uses of pulse crops 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 pulse crops; and

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