Marketing Branch Services

The Marketing Branch oversees the proper implementation, administration and oversight of California's different marketing advisory boards, agreements, councils and commissions under enabling statutes within the Food and Agricultural Code. The programs are authorized under the California Marketing Act of 1937 and individual sections of statute in the Food and Agricultural Code. State law requires that the California Department of Food and Agriculture oversee all State marketing programs. Each marketing program is governed by a board made up of industry members.

In addition to overseeing California's marketing programs, the Branch also administers the Cooperative Bargaining Association Law. This Law, is also referred to as the Unfair Trade Practices Act (Act), was enacted in 1967 to protect farmer's rights to bargain fairly for price with processors via cooperative bargaining associations in which they choose to freely participate. Prior to the enactment of this Statute many allegations of interference with a fair bargaining process were issued against both processors and bargaining associations. To view a background on the Cooperative Bargaining Association click here: Briefing Paper .

A copy of the Cooperative Bargaining Association Law can be found here: Cooperative Bargaining Associations Law .

To submit a request for conciliation please download and complete this form: Request for Conciliation .

Food and Agricultural Code, Division 20, Chapter 2, Airticle 3.5-Conciliation, establishes time frames (in business days) within which certain requests and responses take place between the parties involved. The timeline can be found here: Conciliation Timeline .