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Farmers stand up for democracy, protest pork tax
For more information: Land Stewardship Project office, 612-722-6377, Linda Noble, 507-789-6679,
Rhonda Perry, 573-449-1336
04/03/01
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leaving their farms just before spring planting, farmers with the Campaign for Family Farms traveled from across the Midwest to Washington, D.C., sowing seeds of democracy.
On Sunday, March 25, more than 300 hog farmers and community leaders rallied at the Alexandria, Va., home of the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Ann Veneman. Sunday's rally focused on the Feb.
28 decision by President Bush's Secretary of Agriculture to continue the pork checkoff taxÐan assessment paid by farmers each time they sell a hog. In September, hog farmers nationwide voted
to end the tax, but before the program could be dismantled the new administration attempted to overturn the vote.
Larry Ginter, an Iowa hog farmer and member of Iowa CCI who participated in the rally at Veneman's house, said he was in Washington, D.C., to end the pork tax and protect democracy.
"As a hog farmer, I'm appalled that the new Secretary of Agriculture would choose to support a failed and unpopular tax on hogs as her first action in office. But as an American, I'm incensed
that USDA attempted to do this by negating a democratic vote."
On Monday, March 26, farmers and other citizens took their protest to the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC), the organization that has been receiving nearly $1 million per week from America's
hog farmers through the checkoff tax.
Over 150 people protested at the Washington, D.C., offices of the NPPC for about 45 minutes chanting, "Honor our vote, honor democracy, end the pork tax now!"
Linda Noble, a Kenyon, Minnesota, hog farmer and member of Land Stewardship Project said, "Hog farmers protested at the NPPC office because it's obvious that NPPC has forgotten whose money
they are taking. Independent hog farmers nationwide voted to end the mandatory pork checkoff, but the NPPC doesn't respect independent producers and it doesn't respect democracy."
Rhonda Perry, a Missouri hog farmer who works with the Missouri Rural Crisis Center, explained the reason for the protests: "This is America where everyone's vote should count. When freedom
and democracy are under attack, you have to take your message to the people who are blocking democracy. That is the American way, from Boston Harbor to Selma, Alabama."
Both protests were peaceful, non-violent, and ended without arrests.
"The NPPC has inaccurately reported that physical abuse occurred at the protest," said Noble. "There was no such thing. The NPPC is saying that to try to confuse people and prevent
them from standing up and speaking out for democracy."
The Campaign for Family Farms has also filed pleadings in federal court to uphold the vote that terminated the mandatory pork tax.
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To read more about the Pork Checkoff Vote, see these releated press releases:
April 10, 2001: Statement regarding NPPC's attempt to curtail opposition to pork tax
April 3, 2001: Farmers stand up for democracy, protest pork tax
March 27, 2001: Facts about the Pork Checkoff Vote
February 20, 2001: Hog Farmers Call on Veneman to Stop Delaying Pork Checkoff Termination
January 31, 2001: Hog Farmers Attack Proposed New Mandatory Pork Tax
January 11, 2001: Hog Farmers End Mandatory Pork Checkoff
January 4, 2001: Glickman Refuses to Announce Referendum Results
December 1, 2000: Hog farmers monitor counting of pork checkoff votes
September 19, 2000: Campaign for Family Farms Urges Hog Farmers to vote NO on Checkoff Referendum
August 10, 2000: The heat is on Ag Secretary to overturn biased decision on pork checkoff referendum
August 2, 2000: NPPC Attempts to Rig Pork Checkoff Vote
June 1, 2000: The Real Story: Hog Farmers Win Right to Vote Fair and Square
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