USDA Issues Rule on Pork Referendum

April 17, 2000

USDA has announced procedures for the conduct of a referendum on whether pork producers want to continue their checkoff program. No date has been set for the referendum as yet, but the National Pork Producers Council expects USDA to conduct the vote in a "judicious yet expedited manner.

The proposed rules will be published in the Tuesday (April 18) Federal Register. The rules establish a two-day period for in-person voting and a four-week absentee ballot period for producers. Voting will take place at the Farm Service Agency country offices. FSA employees will count the ballots, determine the eligibility of challenged voters and report the results. Importers will vote by mail.

USDA will consider all comments received up to 30 days after publication of the proposed rules before issuing a final rule setting the date for the referendum which will be paid with USDA funds.

Craig Jarolimek, NPPC president, said, "USDA has decided to call for the vote on the pork checkoff; now we want to ensure the vote is conducted in a fair, accurate and transparent manner. We continue to have extreme concerns that non-producers will participate in the vote and affect the future of a proven program."

He continued, "As a pork producer, I have seen the value of how my checkoff dollars are working to provide programs and information needed to keep pace with today. s world. All pork producers currently have access to the results of those programs. If the pork checkoff is eliminated, that information will not longer be readily available to rank and file pork producers."

Copies of the rule are available on the Internet at http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/mpb/rp-pork.htm