reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
15 PA Cons Stat § 7503 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7503 - Definitions

§ 7503. Definitions.  The following words and phrases when used in this chapter shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:  "Agricultural products." Includes all livestock and livestock products, dairy and dairy products, poultry and poultry products, horticultural, floricultural and viticultural products, forestry and forestry products, seeds, nuts, mushrooms and bee products and any and all kinds of farm products.  "Board." The board of directors of an association.  "Delegate." A member elected in the manner provided by section 7531(b) (relating to election by districts) to represent a local group of members and having the powers and duties specified in the bylaws.  "Department." The Department of Agriculture of the Commonwealth.  "Engaging in agriculture." Includes engaging in dairying, livestock raising, poultry raising, furbearing animal raising, horticulture, floriculture, viticulture, forestry, beekeeping, seed growing, nut growing, mushroom growing and engaging in any and all kinds of farming and other allied occupations.  "Member." The holder of a membership in an association without capital stock or the holder of voting shares in an association organized with capital stock.  "Patron." A person using the facilities of an association for the marketing of agricultural products or a person using the facilities of an association for the purchase of supplies or the rendering of services.  "Producer." A person engaging in agriculture.  "Supplies." Includes any and all types of supplies, machinery and equipment used or consumed by persons engaging in agriculture.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7504 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7504 - Policy

§ 7504. Policy.   (a) General rule.--It is the policy of this Commonwealth, as one means of improving the economic position of agriculture, to encourage the organization of producers of agricultural products into effective cooperative agricultural associations under the control of the producers for their mutual benefit, and to that end this chapter shall be liberally construed. Where applicable to this chapter and to Chapter 71 (relating to cooperative corporations generally), Subparts B (relating to business corporations) and C (relating to nonprofit corporations) of Part II shall be construed, wherever possible, consistent with law applicable to cooperative agricultural associations in general.  (b) Associations not in restraint of trade.--  (1) No association complying with this chapter shall be deemed to be a conspiracy, or a combination in restraint of trade, or an illegal monopoly, or be deemed to have been formed for the purpose of lessening competition or fixing prices arbitrarily, nor shall the contracts between the association and its producers, or any agreements authorized in this chapter, be construed as an unlawful restraint of trade, or as a part of a conspiracy or combination to accomplish an improper or illegal purpose or act. (2) An association may acquire, exchange, interpret and disseminate past, present and prospective crop, market, statistical, economic and other similar information relating to the business of the association either directly or through an agent created or selected by it or by other associations acting in conjunction with it. (3) An association may advise its members in respect to the adjustment of their current and prospective production of agricultural commodities and its relation to the prospective volume of consumption, selling prices and existing or potential surplus to the end that every market may be served from the most convenient productive areas under a program of orderly marketing that will assure adequate supplies without undue enhancement of prices or the accumulation of any undue surplus of agricultural products.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7505 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7505 - Number and qualifications of incorporators

§ 7505. Number and qualifications of incorporators.  Five or more individuals of full age engaging in agriculture or two or more cooperative agricultural associations may incorporate an association. If an association is incorporated by individuals, at least three of the individuals shall be residents of this Commonwealth. If an association is incorporated by cooperative agricultural associations, at least one of the associations shall be a domestic association.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7506 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7506 - Purposes

§ 7506. Purposes.  An association may be incorporated under this chapter for the purpose of engaging in any cooperative activity for producers of agricultural products in connection with: (1) Producing, assembling, marketing, buying, selling, bargaining or contracting for agricultural products, or harvesting, preserving, drying, processing, manufacturing, blending, canning, packing, ginning, grading, storing, warehousing, handling, transporting, shipping or utilizing such products, or manufacturing or marketing the by-products thereof. (2) Manufacturing, processing, storing, transporting, delivering, handling, buying for or furnishing supplies to its members and patrons. (3) Performing or furnishing business, educational, recreational or other services, including the services of labor, buildings, machinery, equipment, trucks, trailers and tankers, or any other services connected with the purposes set forth in paragraphs (1) and (2) on a cooperative basis. (4) Financing any of the activities set forth in paragraphs (1) through (3).
15 PA Cons Stat § 7507 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7507 - Articles of incorporation

§ 7507. Articles of incorporation.  Articles of incorporation of an association incorporated under this chapter shall comply with the applicable provisions of this part except that, if organized without capital stock, the articles shall state whether the property rights and interests of each member are equal or unequal and, if unequal, the priorities of those rights and interests.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7521 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7521 - Special powers and limitations

§ 7521. Special powers and limitations. (a) General rule.--Each association shall have power (in addition to or limitation of the powers conferred by section 1502 (relating to general powers) or 5502 (relating to general powers)):  (1) To act as agent, broker or attorney-in-fact for its members and patrons and for any subsidiary or affiliated person.  (2) To hold chapter for its members and patrons and for subsidiary and affiliated persons to property handled or managed by the association on their behalf.  (3) In furtherance of association purposes, to make loans or advances to its members and patrons or to subsidiary and affiliated persons or their members.  (4) To establish and accumulate reserves and surplus to capital and such other funds as may be authorized by the articles of association or the bylaws.  (5) To issue membership certificates and to foster membership in the association and to solicit patrons by advertising or by educational or other lawful means.  (6) To issue and to sell common and preferred stock. (7) To own shares of the capital stock of, to hold membership in and to hold bonds or other obligations of other persons engaged in any related activity or engaged in producing, manufacturing, warehousing or marketing any of the products handled by the association or engaged in financing its activities or those of its members.  (8) To deal in products of and handle machinery, equipment, supplies and perform services for nonmembers to an amount not greater in annual value than such as are dealt in, handled or performed for or on behalf of its members.  (b) Enumeration unnecessary.--It shall not be necessary to set forth in the articles of the association the powers enumerated in this chapter.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7522 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7522 - Records of salary or other payments

§ 7522. Records of salary or other payments.  Every association shall keep a record of all salaries, per diem payments or other remuneration paid to each officer and director by the association in addition to remuneration received for agricultural commodities marketed through the association.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7523 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7523 - Members

§ 7523. Members.  An association shall admit to membership only persons who are engaging in agriculture, including both tenants and landlords receiving a share of the crop, and cooperative agricultural associations of such producers who agree to patronize the association in accordance with the uniform terms prescribed by it, and only such persons shall be regarded as eligible members of an association. The bylaws may prescribe additional qualifications for membership but shall not enlarge the class eligible for membership specified in this section.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7524 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7524 - Issuance of shares

§ 7524. Issuance of shares.   (a) General rule.--Every association without capital stock shall issue a certificate of membership to each member. Every association with capital stock shall issue a certificate of common shares to each member certifying the number of shares of stock held by him. An association shall issue common shares or a membership certificate only to persons eligible for membership upon such terms and conditions as shall be provided in the bylaws. Fractional shares may be issued.  (b) Voting rights.--Each eligible member shall be entitled to only one vote on each question that may be presented at any meeting of the members regardless of the number of shares or amount of membership capital owned by him.  (c) Preferred stock.--An association may issue preferred shares to any person upon such terms and conditions as shall be provided in the bylaws. The preferred shares shall carry no voting rights other than as provided by section 7529(a)(3) (relating to fundamental changes).  (d) Consideration.--No association shall issue a certificate of membership, and no certificate for common shares shall be issued until fully paid for, but promissory notes may be accepted by the association as full or partial payment. The association shall hold the membership certificate or shares as security for the payment of the note, but such retention as security shall not affect the right of the member to vote and hold office.  (e) Evidence of equity in assets.--The association may, from time to time, issue to any patron a certificate or other evidence of the equity of the patron in any fund, capital investment or other asset of the association. The certificate or other evidence of equity may bear interest at a rate not in excess of two points under the average treasury bill rate for the 12 months preceding the date on which the payment is made and may be transferred only to the association or to such other person as may be approved by the association.  (f) Dividends.--Dividends may be paid on any shares and dividends on preferred shares may be cumulative if so provided in the articles. An association shall have a lien on all of its issued shares and dividends declared or accrued thereon for all indebtedness of the holders thereof to the association if provision therefor is stated on the face of the share certificate.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7525 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7525 - Sale, transfer or redemption of shares

§ 7525. Sale, transfer or redemption of shares.   (a) General rule.--The common shares of an association may be transferred only with the consent of the association and on the books of the association and then only to persons eligible to own shares in the association. No purported assignment or transfer of the shares shall pass to any ineligible person any right or privilege on account of the shares or any vote or voice in the management or affairs of the association.  (b) Redemption or conversion.--In the event a holder of common shares has done no business with an association for a period of 12 months or in the event the board of directors of an association finds that any of the common shares has come into the hands of any person who is not eligible for membership or that the holder thereof has ceased to be an eligible member, the holder shall have no rights or privileges on account of the shares or vote or voice in the management or the affairs of the association (other than the right to participate in accordance with law in case of dissolution and to receive the book or par value of the shares, whichever is less, in the event of its sale or transfer as provided in this subsection), and the association shall have the right at its option: (1) to redeem the shares at their book or par value, whichever is less; (2) to require the transfer of any such shares at such book or par value, whichever is less, to any person eligible to hold the shares; or (3) to require the holder of any such shares to convert the shares into preferred shares of equal value. In exercising its right to redeem or to require the transfer or conversion of shares, if the holder fails to deliver the certificate evidencing the shares for cancellation or transfer, an association may cancel the certificate on its books and issue a new certificate for common or preferred shares, as the case may be, to the party entitled thereto.  (c) Preferred shares.--The preferred shares of an association may be transferred only on the books of the association, and the bylaws may provide that the association shall have the option, at any time, to redeem the preferred shares at par value, plus declared or accrued dividends.  (d) Notice on certificates.--Any restriction or option which an association places upon the transfer or sale of any of its outstanding shares and any association option retained thereon shall be printed on each share certificate.  (e) Force majeure.--A member shall not lose his membership in the association under this section by his failure to do business with it if the failure is due to an act of God unless the period of time involved is at least 24 months.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7526 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7526 - Termination of membership

§ 7526. Termination of membership.   (a) General rule.--Under the terms and conditions prescribed in the bylaws, a member of an association without capital stock shall lose his membership and his right to vote if he ceases to belong to the class eligible for membership or has done no business with an association for a period of 12 months.  (b) Valuation of and payment for membership.--After a member has notified an association without capital stock of his withdrawal or after the adoption of a resolution by the board terminating his membership, the board shall appraise the value in money of his membership interest in the association and shall determine and fix the manner in which the association shall pay him the value of his interest unless the member, with the consent of the association, transfers his certificate of membership. Certificates of membership in an association without capital stock shall not be transferred without the consent of the association.  (c) Force majeure.--A member shall not lose his membership in the association under this section by his failure to do business with it if the failure is due to an act of God unless the period of time involved is at least 24 months.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7527 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7527 - Voting by proxy or mail

§ 7527. Voting by proxy or mail.   (a) General rule.--Unless otherwise provided in the bylaws, no member may vote by proxy or by mail. No unrevoked proxy shall be valid more than 11 months from the date of its execution. If voting by mail is permitted, absent members may, under rules prescribed by the bylaws, be permitted to vote on specific questions by written ballot prepared by the association and sent by mail to or deposited with the secretary or other designated officer of the association.  (b) Action on marketing programs.--Except for day-to-day operating decisions relating to existing programs, no association shall vote for its members on any new programs or substantially modified proposals other than those regulated by Federal or State agencies affecting existing marketing or marketing development programs or amendments thereto unless it has either first obtained approval of the delegates or conducted a mail poll of its membership, and in such later event apprised the members of their rights to cast a vote and method of voting under the program and notified its membership of the results and its intentions at least five days prior to casting its vote. If proxy voting is allowed by the bylaws of the association, the proxy shall be valid only for the particular date and the specific issue for which the vote is called.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7528 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7528 - Meetings

§ 7528. Meetings.  There shall be at least one meeting of members or delegates each year. Annual and special membership or delegate meetings shall be governed by the bylaws.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7529 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7529 - Fundamental changes

§ 7529. Fundamental changes.   (a) General rule.--An association, by action of its members or delegates, may amend its articles of incorporation in the manner provided by the applicable provisions of this part except that: (1) No amendment shall be adopted without the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members or delegates voting thereon. (2) No amendment affecting the priority or preferential rights of any outstanding stock shall be adopted without the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the holders of the outstanding stock affected. (3) Any association not having capital stock may convert into an association with capital stock by amending its articles to set forth a description of the shares of each class which are to be issued and a statement of the voting rights, preferences, limitations and relative rights granted to or imposed upon the shares of each class but only if the conversion is proposed by three-fourths of the board of directors.  (b) Procedure.--Written notice shall, not less than 15 days before the meeting of members or delegates called for the purpose of considering the proposed amendment or any other fundamental change, be given to each member or shareholder of record. A notice of an amendment under subsection (a)(3) shall set forth, in addition to the information otherwise required by the appropriate provisions of this part, a complete description of the shares proposed to be issued upon the conversion and the manner of carrying the conversion into effect.  (c) Post-approval report.--Whenever an amendment of the articles of an association is approved, the association shall notify each member within 30 days after the filing of articles of amendment by sending to each member a copy of the filed amendment and, in the case of a conversion, a complete description of the shares issued by the association.    Cross References. Section 7529 is referred to in section 7524 of this title.
15 PA Cons Stat § 7530 (2021)
2021 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes|Title 15 - CORPORATIONS AND UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATIONS|Chapter 75 - Cooperative Agricultural Associations|Section 7530 - Bylaws

§ 7530. Bylaws.   (a) General rule.--The bylaws may provide for the following matters: (1) The time, place and manner of calling and conducting meetings of the members or delegates and the number of members or delegates (which may be less than a majority) that shall constitute a quorum. (2) The manner of voting and the conditions upon which members or delegates may vote at general and special meetings. (3) Subject to any provision thereon in the articles of association and in this chapter, the number, qualifications, eligibility requirements, manner of nomination, duties and terms of office of directors and officers, the time of their election and mode and manner of giving notice thereof. (4) The time, place and manner for calling and holding meetings of the directors and any executive committee and the number that shall constitute a quorum. (5) Rules consistent with law and the articles of association for the management of the association, the establishment of any election districts, the making of contracts, the issuance, redemption and transfer of shares, the relative rights, duties, interests and preferences of members and shareholders and the mode, manner and effect of expulsion of a member. (6) Any other provisions deemed necessary or proper to carry out the purposes of the association. (7) Penalties for violations of the bylaws.  (b) Procedure.--Bylaws authorized to be made by the board of directors may be amended or repealed and new bylaws may be adopted by the members or delegates. Delegates may prescribe that any bylaw made by them shall not be amended or repealed by the directors, and members may provide that any bylaw made by them shall not be amended or repealed by either the directors or the delegates. The association shall notify each member of a proposed change in the bylaws by sending to each member, at least 15 days prior to any vote on the proposed change, a copy of the proposed bylaw along with the time, date, place and manner of voting for the proposed changes. Members may amend or repeal bylaws adopted by the directors or the delegates by filing with the secretary of the association a petition signed by 25% of the voting membership and setting forth the text of the proposed change. The secretary shall call a special meeting or special vote of the association within 30 days of the receipt of the petition. When a special meeting is called, at least 10% of the voting membership shall be present to change the bylaws. Whenever a proposed bylaw change is approved, the association shall mail each member a copy of the approved bylaw within 30 days of the approval.