Standing up to Corporate Power and Concentration
LSP works to change government and corporate policies that consolidate wealth and power into fewer hands while endangering the health and well-being of people, communities and the environment.

In January 2001, LSP won a momentous victory over corporate power and money when the mandatory pork checkoff was voted down in a national referendum. This victory was the result of years of work by LSP members and staff in partnership with the Campaign for Family Farms and it demonstrates the power of our organized members even against powerful opponents. Members put in long hours collecting signatures, making phone calls, putting up yard signs, writing letters to the editor, getting farmers out to vote, and holding public officials accountable. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) which receives $50-60 million dollars a year from this tax on hogs sold, spent upwards of $4 million to try to win the referendum (40 times more than the Campaign for Family Farms).

Although hog farmers voted to end the checkoff 53% to 47%, the battle continues. On February 28, 2001, the NPPC and the Secretary of Agriculture, Ann Veneman cut a backroom deal to continue the checkoff. Their deal throws out the democratic vote of hog producers and forces them to continue to pay the checkoff tax. Outrage over this decision continues to grow as letters and faxes pile up at the USDA and the White House. In addition to organizing public pressure against the administration, the Campaign for Family Farms is challenging the USDA's decision in the courts.

Regardless of the final outcome, the benefits of this effort have already been significant. Ending the mandatory pork checkoff through a referendum of hog farmers provided us with an excellent opportunity to address critical issues in the hog industry and expose the NPPC as an ally of agribusiness corporations. Through this campaign, we were able to communicate and work with thousands of hog farmers across the country. LSP plans to build on this success and engage these farmers and others through regional meetings on issues they are concerned about, such as concentration in agriculture and environmental problems created by factory farms.

Check out the News Department for recent press releases on the pork check-off campaign.

• April 22, 2004: CFF Calls on U.S. Supreme Court to Let Checkoff End
• August 1, 2001: Minnesota farmers battle Washington insiders over checkoff vote; call on President Bush and USDA Secretary Veneman to abide by majority vote
• June 14, 2001: Pressure Builds on Bush Administration over Pork Checkoff Decision
• May 16, 2001: Veneman admits ignorance on pork tax decision Minnesota farmers join lawsuit to uphold checkoff vote
• May 14, 2001: Hog Farmers Launch Lawsuit Against USDA
• 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

Updates on the pork check-off campaign can also be found in the Land Stewardship Letter. See the following issues:

April/May/June 2003 - Pork checkoff case (pdf)

Jan/Feb/Mar 2003 - Checkoff case goes to appeal (pdf)

July/Aug/Sept 2002 - Mandatory pork checkoff ruled unconstitutional (pdf)

May/June 2002 - Hog farmers hail beef checkoff ruling

Jan/Feb 2002 - Pork checkoff becomes an issue of democracy

April/May/June 2001 - Hog farmers sue USDA over dumping of checkoff vote

Jan/Feb/Mar 2001 - The mandatory pork checkoff: it's closer to being history - so now what?

Jan/Feb/Mar 2001 - Pork checkoff voted down by hog farmers, USDA & NPPC strike deal to continue it

Sept/Oct 2000 - Farmers vote to end pork checkoff

July/Aug 2000 - Pork checkoff voting is under way

April/May/June 2000 - Farmers: checkoff rules flawed

Jan/Feb/Mar 2000 - Mandatory pork checkoff going to a vote

 

LSP also works at the FEDERAL and STATE LEVEL for legislation that would ensure a fair market place for family farmers. LSP continues to work at the federal level for a moratorium on agribusiness mergers, enforcement of the Packers and Stockyards Act, legislation against packer ownership of livestock, and strengthening of mandatory price reporting legislation.

At the state level, LSP fights to prevent weakening of the Minnesota corporate farm law. We believe these policies will level the playing field for family farms so they can receive a fair price for the food they produce.

Updates on LSP's work ensuring fair markets can also be found in the Land Stewardship Letter. See the following issues:

April/May/June 2003 - Packer ban campaign (pdf)

Jan/Feb/Mar 2003 - Packer ban introduced in Senate (pdf)

March/April 2002 - The security threat to end all security threats

Nov/Dec 2001 - LSP organizing pushes Farm Bill reform

Jan/Feb/Mar 2001 - Setting the tone across state lines

December 2000 - LSP members take concerns to Attorney General

November 2000 - Follow-up: The Thing that Ate Agriculture; Selling the Farm Down Contract Creek

April/May/June 2000 - LLCs are not family-farm friendly

Jan/Feb/Mar 2000 - LSP Legislative Update - Limited Liability Companies, Price Reporting

April/May 1999 - Selling the Farm Down Contract Creek

Jan/Feb/Mar 1999 - The Thing that Ate Agriculture