CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE CALIFORNIA CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF AGRONOMY

Article I. Name and Objectives

Section 1. The name of the organization shall be the California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy (California Chapter) as authorized under Article XII, Section 4 of the Revised By-laws of the American Society of Agronomy, Inc.

Section 2. The California Chapter was founded in April 1971 with the objectives to be generally those of the American Society of Agronomy, Inc., an educational and scientific corporation qualified for exemption under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, as amended or comparable section of subsequent legislation.

The California Chapter shall strive to promote human welfare through advancing the acquisition and dissemination of scientific knowledge concerning the nature, use, improvement, and interrelationships of plants, soils, and environment. To this end, the California Chapter, like its parent society, shall (1) promote effective research, (2) disseminate scientific information, (3) foster high standards of education, (4) strive to maintain high standards of ethics, (5) promote advancements in the profession, and (6) cooperate with other organizations having similar objectives.

The California Chapter supports the efforts and objectives of the Western Society of Soil Science and the Western Society of Crop Science and will operate in a manner consistent with their purpose.

Article II. Membership and Dues

Section 1. The membership of the California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy shall consist of individuals actively interested in the objectives of the Chapter as outlined in Article I.

Section 2. Any person as set forth in Section 1 may be a member of the California Chapter and be entitled to all the privileges of members.  When holding an elective office in the California Chapter, members should also be a member of either the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, or the Crop Science Society of America.

Section 3. Annual membership dues shall be set by the Executive Committee and shall be assessed and collected as provided for in the by-laws.

Section 4. Fees or dues associated with the operation of the California Chapter will be held to a minimum.

Section 5. Members in arrears for Chapter dues will be dropped from the rolls in accordance with the by-laws.

Article III. Governing Board and Officers

Section 1. The governing board of the Chapter shall be constituted by an Executive Committee and a Council of Representatives.

Section 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of the Past President, President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, and Executive Secretary/Treasurer. The term of office with the exception of the Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall be for one year. The Executive Secretary-Treasurer may serve more than one year.

Section 3. The representation on the Executive Committee shall be split as evenly as possible between Industry, Higher Education, and Government groups, and evenly between the broad groupings of Soils and Crops. The objective would be that, if the President comes from the higher education grouping and is considered as Soils professional, the First Vice President should be a Crop professional from Industry. The normal order of progression would be President to Past President, First Vice President to President, Second Vice President to First Vice President, with the election of the Second Vice President coming from the Council Representatives. In the event that an Executive Secretary/Treasurer is invited to the Second Vice President role, the election of a new Executive Secretary/Treasurer will come from the Council of Representatives.

Section 4. The Council of Representatives shall consist of nine elected representatives, which broadly represent individuals from the following areas:

1. Agronomy and Range Science
2. Hydrologic Science & Biological & Agricultural Engineering
3. Soil Science
4. Agricultural, Horticulture & Forest Production
5. Nutrient Management
6. Plant Protection & Integrated Pest Management
7. Plant Breeding, Seed Production and Technology
8. Environmental Quality & Eco-Systems Restoration
9. Public Policy and Regulatory Agencies

Section 5. Each Council Representative will be elected to serve a three-year term. The terms will be staggered so that three Representatives will be elected each year. When a vacancy occurs on the Council because of death, resignation or other cause, appointment to fill the vacancy will be made by the Executive Committee and the appointee will serve until the next election.

Section 6. All Council Representatives and Members of the Executive Committee should be Members of the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, or the Crop Science Society of America.

Section 7. The Council Representatives will be elected by the membership assembled at the time of the Annual Business Meeting. The Nominating Committee will be the Executive Committee. Additional nominations may be made from the floor at the Annual Business Meeting. Elections shall be by majority ballot of those in attendance and voting.

Section 8. The duties of the Past President, President, Vice-President, Second Vice-President and Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall be those which usually pertain to such offices of similar organizations. See Appendix A for a list of duties associated with each position.

Section 9. The President, with the approval of the Executive Committee, shall annually appoint such committees, their members and chairman, as they or the Executive Committee deems necessary to assist in carrying out the objectives of the Chapter.

Article IV. Annual Meeting

The California Chapter of the American Society of Agronomy will hold an Annual Meeting at such time and place as shall be advantageous to the members. The Program Committee shall include both invitational and non-invitational presentations on subjects of wide interest to educators, scientists, farmers and those who serve agriculture. Emphasis will be on the application of scientific developments. Sectional meetings, special symposia, joint or cosponsored meetings with other groups may be arranged by the Executive Committee and may be held separately from or in conjunction with the Annual Meeting.

Article V. General Provisions

Section 1. Contracts and Execution: Except as in these bylaws otherwise provided or restricted, the Governing Board may authorize any member or members, agent or agents to enter into any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the CALASA, and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances; and unless so authorized, no member or agent shall have any power or authority to bind CALASA by any contract or engagement or to pledge its credit or to render it liable financially for any purpose in any amount unless in the ordinary course of business.

Section 2. Deposits: All funds of The California Chapter shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the California Chapter with such banks, bankers, trust companies or other depositories as the Governing Board may select or as may be selected by any member or members, agent or agents of the California Chapter to whom such power may be delegated from time to time by the Governing Board.

Section 3. General and Special Accounts: The Governing Board from time to time may authorize the opening and keeping of general and special bank accounts with such banks, trust companies or other depositories as the Governing Board may select and may make such rules and regulations with respect thereto, not inconsistent with the provisions of these bylaws, as they may deem expedient.

Section 4. The Executive Secretary-Treasurer shall be authorized to pay all routine expenses. Expense items other than of an operational nature shall require the approval of the Executive Committee. 

Article VI. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the California Chapter shall begin on October 1 and end September 30.

Article VII. Reserve Fund Management

A reserve fund of $30,000.00, or the estimated annual total costs to execute the California Plant and Soil Conference, will be maintained in the budget. The Reserve will be used to cover unanticipated decreases in revenue or increases in cost. Examples include extremely low conference turnout, unanticipated venue or other cost increases, legal expenses, equipment purchases or other expenditures necessary to ensure funding to execute the annual conference. The Board retains the right to access this Reserve on an as needed basis for day-to-day operations, with the expectation that the $30,000.00 will be replenished as the California Chapter budget allows.

Article VIII. Indemnification

Each person who is or was a member or officer of the California Chapter, including the heirs, executors, administrators, or estate of such person, acting in good faith shall be indemnified by the California Chapter to the full extent permitted or authorized by the laws of the State of California, as now in effect and as hereafter amended, against any liability, judgment, fine, amount paid in settlement, costs and expense including attorney’s fees, incurred as a result of any claim arising in connection with such person’s conduct in his or her capacity, or in connection with his or her status, as a member or officer of California Chapter. The indemnification provided by this bylaw provision shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which he/she may be entitled under any other bylaws or agreement, vote or disinterested directors, or otherwise, and shall not limit in any way any right that the California Chapter may have to make different or further indemnification with respect to the same or different person or classes of persons.

Article IX. Amendments to Constitution and By-laws

The conditions set forth in the Constitution and By-laws terms described herein may be amended by a simple majority vote of the members present at the Annual Meeting, providing such amendments have first been presented, in writing, to the Executive Committee for consideration not less than sixty (60) days prior to the Annual Meeting.

Article X. Publications

The publications of the California Chapter may consist of proceedings made up of abstracts of submitted and individual papers, reports of committees, minutes of the Annual Business Meeting and such other items, as shall have general interest to the members. The Executive Committee is authorized to charge for publications in such a manner as to reclaim actual costs.

Last amended by vote of membership on February 5, 2020