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

Updated to 1 December 2024

This document has official status.

chapter O-7.001

Act respecting the Ordre national du mérite agricole

This Act was formerly entitled: “Agricultural Merit Act”. The title of the Act was replaced by section 1 of chapter 39 of the statutes of 2001.

2001, c. 39, s. 1.

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

The Minister shall encourage and recognize excellence in agriculture, in particular through the granting of awards or rewards following the holding of agricultural merit competitions.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 1; 1973, c. 22, s. 22; 1979, c. 77, s. 21; 2001, c. 39, s. 2.

2. The Ordre national du mérite agricole 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; 2001, c. 39, s. 3.

3. The following agricultural merit decorations and honours may be awarded :

(1)  the gold medal and the accompanying decoration of Commander of the Ordre national du mérite agricole and diploma ;

(2)  the silver medal and the accompanying decoration of Officer of the Ordre national du mérite agricole and diploma ;

(3)  the bronze medal and the accompanying decoration of Knight of the Ordre national du mérite agricole and diploma ;

(4)  the “merit” diploma ;

(5)  the decoration of Special Commander of the Ordre national du mérite agricole and the accompanying diploma.

The Minister may create a division of the Ordre national du mérite agricole for young farm producers or children of farm producers, and award them medals and diplomas conveying no title.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 3; 2001, c. 39, s. 4.

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.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 5; 1999, c. 42, s. 2; 2001, c. 39, s. 5.

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, the teachers 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; 2001, c. 39, s. 6.

7. The Minister may, on the report of the judges, award the agricultural merit decorations and honours provided for in subparagraphs 1 to 4 of the first paragraph and the second paragraph of section 3 to persons participating in a competition organized pursuant to section 4.

The Government may award the agricultural merit decoration provided for in subparagraph 5 of the first paragraph of section 3 to any person who, in a public occupation, in scientific or official missions, through his or her undertaking, through research, works or publications, or through the creation of scholarships or endowments, has contributed outstanding services to agriculture.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 7; 2001, c. 39, s. 7.

8. The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food shall be ex officio Commander of the Ordre national du mérite agricole.

R. S. 1964, c. 132, s. 8; 1973, c. 22, s. 22; 1979, c. 77, s. 21; 2001, c. 39, s. 8.

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 9 of the Act respecting the consolidation of the statutes and regulations (chapter R-3), chapter M-10 of the Revised Statutes, in force on 1 April 2002, is repealed effective from the coming into force of chapter O-7.001 of the Revised Statutes.