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Arkansas State Support Committee Bylaws

Arkansas State Support Committee Bylaws

The mission of the Cotton Research and Promotion Program is to increase demand for cotton and improve the profitability of cotton production through research and promotion. The Arkansas State Support Committee (hereafter, ‘the Committee’) helps Cotton Incorporated fulfill this mission by selecting and recommending for funding research projects that address the needs of Arkansas cotton growers. The Committee’s yearly budget is a portion of the total value of all Arkansas cotton bales as enumerated by the Cotton Board. Cotton Incorporated staff advises the Committee and administers the annual budget. Committee members and advisors serve voluntarily without compensation.

Members

The Committee shall represent Arkansas cotton growers and members shall themselves be producers of U.S. Upland cotton in Arkansas who reside in Arkansas.

Members shall be:

 Arkansas Directors and Alternates of the Cotton Incorporated Board of Directors
 Arkansas Directors and Alternates of the Cotton Board of Directors

Voting members other than the Directors and Alternates of Cotton Incorporated’s and the Cotton Board’s Board of Directors will be nominated by the Directors and Alternates of Cotton Incorporated’s and the Cotton Board’s Board of Directors and elected to a 3 year term by a majority of the voting members present.  Any member may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by the Committee.  Removal of a member by the Committee shall be by vote of a majority of the voting members present at the meeting at which a quorum is present.

Officers

The Committee shall have three officers – a Chair, Vice-Chair, and Secretary. The Chair and Vice-Chair shall be selected from the Committee members. All officers shall serve a three (3) year term and may serve consecutive terms. The officers will be selected at the annual review of projects by a majority of the voting members present.

Officers’ Duties

The Chair shall convene and preside over meetings of the Committee. The Chair shall appoint any subcommittees necessary to aid in the operation of the Committee. The Chair or Vice-Chair will attend all subcommittee meetings or delegate the Secretary to attend the meeting and provide a written report of the proceedings to the Chair.

The Vice-Chair shall preside over meetings of the Committee in the absence of, or at the direction of, the Chair.

The Secretary, in cooperation with Cotton Incorporated staff, shall be responsible for:

  1. Working with University of AR faculty to organizing meetings;
  2. Maintaining and distributing reports of Committee meetings;
  3. Working with University of AR faculty to distribute requests for project proposals;
  4. Working with University of AR faculty to circulate project proposals for Committee review;
  5. Working with University of AR faculty to notifying project funding recipients;
  6. Acting as a meeting facilitator; and
  7. Other duties requested by the Chair or Vice-Chair

Advisors

The Committee may request, as needed, advisor(s) to provide counsel and expertise in the selection and continuation of various new and continuing research projects.  Advisors are not intended to be members of the Committee but only to provide counsel and guidance as requested.   Advisors will be selected from, but not limited to:

 Former Cotton Incorporated and Cotton Board Directors and Alternates

 Cotton Incorporated staff member(s)

 Cotton Board staff member(s)

 State and federal research institutions representatives

 State Extension Cotton Specialist

 Representatives from Certified Producer Organizations

 Representatives of State certified Cotton Commissions or Boards

 Other cotton producers in Arkansas.

Meetings

The Committee shall meet at least once each year to review projects funded in the current budget year, select projects to be funded for the upcoming budget year, and select officers upon completion of their terms or in the case of vacancies. The Chair may call additional meetings to conduct necessary business of the Committee. The Chair will provide reasonable advance notice of meetings to the Committee’s membership and will work to schedule meetings so as to maximize attendance by Committee members.  Subcommittees may meet as necessary.

All members are expected to attend meetings of the Committee. Members are encouraged to attend meetings in person but options to allow remote attendance will be provided on an as needed basis. A quorum must be present to conduct business of the Committee. A quorum consists of ½ + 1 of the voting members, and must include the Chair or Vice-Chair.

Revisions

Bylaw revisions may be approved at any meeting by a positive vote of at least two-thirds of the total voting membership of the Committee.

Cotton Incorporated