The navel orange industry in this state constitutes one of California’s principal tree fruit crops, and thus provides an important source of employment for many people in the state.

Opportunity exists for continued growth and expansion of the industry by creating new markets in this country and abroad. The success of an expansion program is uniquely dependent upon effective advertising and promotion, since the creation of new markets and increased per capita consumption are essentially a matter of educating people to the use of highly nutritious navel oranges.

The creation of a California Navel Orange Commission is necessary for the efficient development and management of an advertising and promotion program and essential to ensure that the California navel orange industry can compete successfully in the world marketplace.

The production and marketing of navel oranges produced in this state is hereby declared to be affected with a public interest. This chapter is enacted in the exercise of the police power of this state for the purpose of protecting the health, peace, safety, and general welfare of the people of this state.

A commission form of administration created by this chapter is designed to deal with the broad fields of advertising, promotion, and marketing research.

No action taken by the commission, nor by any individual in accordance with this chapter or with the rules and regulations adopted under the chapter, is a violation of the so-called Cartwright Act (Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 16700) of Part 2 of Division 7 of the Business and Professions Code), the Fair Trade Act (Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 16900) of that Part 2), the Unfair Practices Act (Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 17000) of that Part 2), or any statutory or common law against monopolies or combinations in restraint of trade.