1.__Membership.__The commission consists of 9 members, 5 of whom must be appointed by the Governor for terms of 2 years each, arranged so that 2 terms expire in odd-numbered years and 3 terms expire in even-numbered years.__Three members appointed by the Governor must be actively engaged in farming in this State and 2 members appointed by the Governor must be actively engaged in business in this State.__The Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources shall appoint one member for a term of 2 years, which expires in odd-numbered years.__The member appointed by the commissioner must be actively engaged in farming in this State.__Commission members may be reappointed to the commission.__ Terms of members run from the first day of July.__The Director of Economic and Community Development, the President of the University of Maine and the Commissioner of Agriculture, Food and Rural Resources, or their designees, are members of the commission.__The commission shall elect one of its members as chair.

2. Commission meetings; staff.__The Agricultural Products Utilization Commission shall meet as necessary and shall report annually to the Legislature on the commission's activities and deposits and expenditures from the Agriculturally Derived Fuel Fund.__The__authority shall provide staff and support services to the commission.

SUMMARY

This bill establishes the Agriculturally Derived Fuel Fund to promote the production and use of methanol and ethanol from agricultural biomass. The Finance Authority of Maine is given control of the fund. It also establishes the Agricultural Products Utilization Commission as an advisory commission to the authority.