Unless the context otherwise requires, the definitions in this article govern the construction of this chapter.

“Books and records” means books, records, contracts, documents, memoranda, papers, correspondence, or other written data pertaining to matters relating to the activities subject to this chapter.

“Commission” means the California Tomato Commission.

“Districts” shall consist of the following:

The boundaries of any district may be changed by a two-thirds vote of the commission, which is concurred in by the secretary. These boundaries need not coincide with county lines.

“Ex officio member” means a nonvoting member of the commission.

“Fresh” means tomatoes, in any form, which have not been subject to heat processing.

“Handle” means to engage in the operation of selling, marketing, or distributing fresh market tomatoes that have been produced, or purchased or acquired from a producer, or which are marketed on behalf of a producer, whether as owner, agent, employee, broker, or otherwise, but shall not include retailing except for fresh market tomatoes not previously subject to this chapter.

“Handler” or “shipper” means any person, other than a common carrier, who handles a quantity of 250,000 pounds or more of tomatoes during a marketing season.

“Market” or “marketing” means to sell or otherwise distribute tomatoes into commercial channels or trade resulting in the sale of tomatoes.

“Marketing research” means any research relating to the sale of tomatoes.

“Marketing season” or “fiscal year” are synonymous terms and mean the period beginning March 1 of any year and extending through the last day of February of the following year.

“Person” means any individual, partnership, corporation, firm, company, or other entity doing business in California.

“Producer” and “grower” are synonymous terms and mean any person who produces, or causes to be produced, tomatoes in a quantity of 250,000 pounds or more delivered to handlers during the marketing season.

“Production research” means any research relating to the production, harvest, and post harvest handling of tomatoes.

“Secretary” means the Secretary of Food and Agriculture.

“Ship” and “shipping” are synonymous terms and mean the operations of receiving, grading, cleaning, transporting, distributing, or otherwise preparing for market or marketing, tomatoes for fresh consumption.