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Dear Pork Producer,
You work hard for your money. Shouldn't you be able to choose whether you put your hard-earned dollars into a checkoff program? Well, right now, you don't have that choice. You can create that choice by signing the enclosed petition to end the mandatory national pork checkoff. If you have marketed one or more hogs at any time since January 1, 1997, this pertains to you.
The pork checkoff needs to be voluntary. Without our agreement or choice, family farm hog producers are forced by federal law to pay into a program, without having a say on where those funds are directed or how those funds are used.
So far, what has the mandatory checkoff done for us? Since the mandatory program went into effect in 1986,
Is this the best use of our money? Checkoff programs should be market-driven and accountable. If farmers are convinced that they reap real economic benefits, they will support the program. A voluntary program is democratic--you should have control of your hard-earned money.
By signing this petition, you are calling for a referendum, giving all pork producers that pay into the checkoff the opportunity to vote to end the mandatory program, and make way for a voluntary system. Let's put it to a vote!
We've signed this petition and we hope you do too! We urge you to act now--sign and mail in the enclosed post card. Whether or not you currently have hogs, please circulate the petition to other hog farmers. It's time for us as hog producers to take charge of our hard-earned dollars!
Sincerely,
R. Dwight Ault (Independent Hog Producer), Austin, Minnesota
Luke E. Epley (Independent Hog Producer), Pana, Illinois
Ron Perry (Independent Hog Producer), Chillicothe, Missouri
Larry Ginter (Independent Hog Producer), Rhodes, Iowa
