O-7.001 - Act respecting the Ordre national du mérite agricole

Updated to 31 December 1999

This document has official status.

chapter M-10

Agricultural Merit Act

1. The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shall have charge of the carrying out of this act.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 1; 1973, c. 22, s. 22; 1979, c. 77, s. 21.

2. The Order of Agricultural Merit of Québec is instituted for the purpose of encouraging farm producers by honours and rewards, and to acknowledge services rendered to agriculture.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 2; 1999, c. 42, s. 1.

3. The following decorations and diplomas may be awarded by the Government:

(1)  The decoration of Commander of the Order of Agricultural Merit, and the diploma of “exceptionally distinguished merit” or of “specially distinguished merit”;

(2)  The decoration of Officer of the Order of Agricultural Merit, and the diploma of “distinguished merit”;

(3)  The decoration of Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit, and the diploma of “great merit”;

(4)  The diploma of “merit”.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 3.

4. One or more competitions of agricultural merit shall be organized each year for the whole Québec or for a part of Québec.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 4.

5. The Minister shall cause the conditions relating to the competitions to be published in due time in the manner the Minister considers most appropriate.

The Minister may create a division for young farm producers or children of farm producers, and award them medals and diplomas conveying no title.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 5; 1999, c. 42, s. 2.

6. The judges for the competitions shall be appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. They shall be selected from the commanders and officers of agricultural merit; from the professors of schools of agriculture and the agronomists of Québec; however, in the case of the competition in the division of young farm producers or children of farm producers, the selection of the judges shall be at the discretion of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 6; 1973, c. 22, s. 22; 1979, c. 77, s. 21; 1999, c. 42, s. 3.

7. The decorations and diplomas for agricultural merit may be awarded:

(1)  To those taking part in the competition, in order of merit and upon the report of the judges;

(2)  To any person who has rendered services to agriculture, in farming or in industries connected therewith, in a public occupation or in scientific or official missions, by agricultural research work, by works or publications on agriculture, by creating scholarships or endowments to encourage instruction in agriculture.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 7.

8. Persons who have already won the gold medal or the diploma for “specially distinguished merit” shall de jure be Commanders of the Order of Agricultural Merit; those who have won the silver medal shall be officers de jure, and those who have won the bronze medal shall be knights de jure.

The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shall be ex officio Commander of the Order of Agricultural Merit.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 8; 1973, c. 22, s. 22; 1979, c. 77, s. 21.

9. (This section ceased to have effect on 17 April 1987).

1982, c. 21, s. 1; U. K., 1982, c. 11, Sch. B, Part I, s. 33.

REPEAL SCHEDULE

In accordance with section 17 of the Act respecting the consolidation of the statutes (chapter R-3), chapter 132 of the Revised Statutes, 1964, in force on 31 December 1977, is repealed effective from the coming into force of chapter M-10 of the Revised Statutes.