Contact: Members of the Campaign for Family Farms: Land Stewardship Project, 612-722-6377;
Illinois Stewardship Alliance, 217-498-9707; Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, 515-282-0484;
Missouri Rural Crisis Center, 573-449-1336
4/10/01
The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) is continuing to complain about the recent demonstration of hog farmers and other citizens in response to NPPC's efforts to overturn the nationwide referendum on the continuation of the pork checkoff tax. In doing so, they are trying to turn aside the rising criticism directed at them and the USDA for attempting to negate the democratic and lawful vote of the majority of hog farmers to end the failed and unjust mandatory pork checkoff tax.
The March 26 demonstration at the NPPC's Washington offices was a legal, peaceful action in which approximately 150 American citizens participated. All the main spokespeople for the Campaign for Family Farms were hog farmers who are still paying a checkoff tax, which they and a majority of America's hog farmers voted to end last September by a 53 percent to 47 percent margin. The protest was conducted in a manner similar to nonviolent demonstrations long recognized and even revered in U.S. history as Americans have stood up for freedom and democracy.
NPPC should be ashamed of itself for trying to prevent American citizens from exercising their First Amendment rights. Citizens and organizations across our country are very concerned about the NPPC and USDA suddenly claiming that the referendum in which more than 30,000 hog farmers voted after 2 1/2 years of debate was nothing more than an opinion poll for the Secretary of Agriculture. Americans take our freedoms seriously. Trying to negate this democratic vote is a very serious matter.
Currently, the Campaign for Family Farms is circulating an "Open Letter to President George W. Bush," which more than 145 organizations have already signed. The letter criticizes the actions of Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman in this matter, and calls on the President to uphold the rights of the citizens of this country, abide by the hog producers' vote, and end the mandatory pork checkoff tax now. A copy of the "Open Letter" is available to media from the Campaign.
In summary, hog farmers voted to end the mandatory pork checkoff tax by a 53 percent to 47 percent margin in a referendum whose rules stated that if a majority voted to terminate the checkoff, it would be terminated. That democratic and binding vote has been derailed by forces that want the pork checkoff tax to continue at any cost. Independent hog farmers who led the campaign to end the mandatory pork checkoff and won the vote are being joined by increasing numbers of American citizens who are concerned about the NPPC's and USDA's blatant disregard for democracy.
The Campaign for Family Farms is hopeful that the Michigan court will rule in our favor, and that justice and democracy will be restored. Therefore, we will diligently continue our legal efforts in court. We will also continue to expose to the American public the organizations, such as the NPPC, which seek to weaken our democracy in the service of corporate agriculture.
