(1) No provision of this chapter shall be construed to prohibit:
(a)  Activities that are exempt from the operation of the federal antitrust laws.
(b)  Activities required or affirmatively approved by any statute of this state or of the United States or by a regulatory agency of this state or of the United States duly acting under any constitutional or statutory authority vesting the agency with such power.
(c)  Activities of a municipality or its officers or employees acting in an official capacity, to the extent that those activities are authorized or directed by state law.
(d)  The existence of, or membership in, organizations instituted for the purpose of mutual help and not having capital stock or conducted for profit; nor shall the provisions of this act forbid or restrain individual members of such organizations from lawfully carrying out legitimate objectives of the organization.
(e)  Activities of any labor organization, individual members of the labor organization, or group of labor organizations, of any employer or group of employers, or of any groups of employees, if these activities are directed predominantly to labor objectives which are permitted under the laws of this state or of the United States.
(2)  Persons engaged in the production of agricultural products may act together in associations, corporate or otherwise, with or without capital stock, in collectively processing, preparing for market, handling and marketing the products of these persons, to the extent permitted under the laws of this state or of the United States. These associations may have marketing agencies in common and such associations and their members may make the necessary contracts and agreements to effect such purposes. However, such associations must conform to the requirements of chapter 26, title 22, Idaho Code, or alternatively satisfy the following requirements:
(a)  Operate for the mutual benefit of the members thereof, as producers;
(b)  Not deal in the products of nonmembers to an amount greater in value than such as are handled by it for members; and
(c)  Conform to one (1) or both of the following:
(i)  That no member of the association is allowed more than one (1) vote because of the amount of stock or membership capital he may own therein; or
(ii)  That the association does not pay dividends on stock or membership capital in excess of eight percent (8%) per annum.