The director shall administer and enforce this chapter and it shall be his or her duty to carry out its provisions and put them into force in accordance with its terms, but issuance, amendment, modification, and/or suspension of marketing agreements and orders and of any terms or provisions thereof shall be accomplished according to the procedures set forth in this chapter and not otherwise. Whenever he or she has reason to believe that the issuance or amendment of a marketing agreement or order will tend to effectuate any declared policy or purpose of this chapter with respect to any agricultural commodity, and in the case of application for issuance or amendment ten or more producers of such commodity apply or when a petition for amendment is submitted by majority vote of a commodity board, then the director shall give due notice of, and an opportunity for, a public hearing upon such issuance or amendment, and the director shall issue marketing agreements and orders containing the provisions specified in this chapter and from time to time amend the same whenever upon compliance with and on the basis of facts adduced in accordance with the procedural requirements of this chapter he or she shall find that such agreement, order, or amendment:

(1) Will tend to effectuate one or more of the declared policies of this chapter and is needed in order to effectuate the same.

(2) Is reasonably adapted to accomplish the purposes and objects for which it is issued and complies with the applicable provisions of this chapter.

(3) Has been approved or favored by the percentages of producers and/or handlers specified in and ascertained in accordance with this chapter.

Effective dates—2002 c 313: See note following RCW 15.65.020.