1/4/01
Hog farmers with the Campaign for Family Farms learned today that Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman is refusing to announce the results of the pork checkoff referendum at this time, even though USDA has known the results of the vote since Christmas. On Dec. 20, the USDA committed to announce the results of the pork checkoff referendum during the first week of January and reconfirmed that commitment as recently as Jan. 3.


The Land Stewardship Project is a founding member of the Campaign for Family Farms, which led the petition drive in which 19,000 hog producers called for a vote to end the mandatory pork checkoff. Approximately 30,000 producers participated in the checkoff voting, which ended Sept. 21. The ballots were counted on November 29. According to the published rules of the referendum, the mandatory checkoff will be terminated if a majority of hog farmers voting choose to end the pork checkoff.


The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is trying to block the announcement of the vote results, and apparently the termination of the pork checkoff tax, by calling for a government investigation.


It has been 14 weeks since hog farmers finished voting in the referendum. In that time, they have paid approximately $14 million to the NPPC and the National Pork Board through the pork tax.


Based on the overwhelming number of hog farmers who contacted us during the voting period, we are confident that hog farmers have voted down the mandatory pork checkoff. Why these delays? Secretary Glickman needs to announce the results and honor the mandate of America’s hog farmers.



WE WON'T LET THE USDA AND THE NPPC STEAL OUR VICTORY! WE NEED CALLS — RIGHT NOW!


1. Call Secretary Glickman TODAY at 202-720-3631 and tell him that he needs to:

A) Announce the pork checkoff referendum results immediately.

B) Honor the hog producers’ vote, and begin terminating the pork checkoff tax.


2. Call your U.S. Senators and Representative TODAY. Urge them to call Secretary Glickman and tell him he’s got to announce the vote results immediately and abide by the producers’ vote. (You can get your U.S. Senators’ and Representative’s phone numbers by calling the Capitol Hill switchboard at 202-224-3121)


For more information, call the Campaign for Family Farms at:
• Land Stewardship Project, 612-722-6377
• Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, 515-282-0484
• Missouri Rural Crisis Center, 573-449-1336
• Illinois Stewardship Alliance, 217-498-9707