2023 North Carolina General Statutes › Chapter 54 - Cooperative Organizations › Article 21 - Powers, Duties, and Liabilities. › § 54-152 - Marketing contract.

§ 54-152. Marketing contract.
(a) The association and its members may make and execute marketing contracts, requiring the members to sell, for any period of time, not over 10 years, all or any specified part of their agricultural products or specified commodities exclusively to or through the association or any facilities to be created by the association. The contract may provide that the association may sell or resell the products of its members, with or without taking title thereto, and pay over to its members the resale price, after deducting all necessary selling, overhead, and other costs and expenses, including dividends on preferred stock, not exceeding ten percent (10%) per annum, and reserve for retiring the stock, if any; and other proper reserves; and dividends not exceeding ten percent (10%) per annum upon common stock.
(b) The bylaws and the marketing contract may fix, as liquidated damages, specific sums to be paid by the member or stockholder to the association upon the breach by him of any provision of the marketing contract regarding the sale or delivery or withholding of products; and may further provide that the member will pay all costs, premiums for bonds, expenses and fees in case any action is brought upon the contract by the association; and any such provisions shall be valid and enforceable in the courts of this State.
(c) In the event of any such breach or threatened breach of such marketing contract by a member, the association shall be entitled to an injunction to prevent the further breach of the contract, and to a decree of specific performance thereof. Pending the adjudication of such an action, and upon filing a verified complaint showing the breach or threatened breach, and upon filing a sufficient bond, the association shall be entitled to a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction against the member.
(d) In the event that a member of an association incorporated under this chapter shall have died; and that, at a time more than six months after his death, such cooperative corporation has in its hands moneys not in excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00) which would have been distributable and payable to such member except for his death; and that there has been appointed no administrator of his estate or that the administration of his estate has been closed at such time; then such corporation, without making any publication of notice, may disburse such moneys (not in excess of one hundred dollars ($100.00)) in the following order:
(1) To the widow of the deceased if there is a widow,
(2) To pay any unsatisfied claims for funeral expenses or reimburse any person for the payment thereof, and
(3) To any adult person of the class of those nearest of kin to the deceased, for the benefit of all members of such class.
In making such disbursements the said corporation shall be responsible and liable only for the exercise of good faith and reasonable care and shall have no further responsibility or liability with respect to such moneys or their application or disbursement. (1921, c. 87, s. 17; C.S., s. 5259(y); 1959, c. 1174; 1979, 2nd Sess., c. 1302, ss. 1, 2.)