Pork Checkoff News & Analysis:

Interview with Rhonda Perry of the Missouri Rural Crisis Center
Grassroots Missouri Organizing Since 1985
A Variety of Tactics, Consistent Strategies
Armstrong, Missouri


U.S. Supreme Court Hears Arguments
on Mandatory Checkoff Program
Midwestern hog farmers attend hearing in Washington, D.C.
Bryce Oates
Washington, D.C.


Court Rules Pork Checkoff Unconstitutional
The Checkoff’s days are numbered
“This is a big victory for family farmers and for democracy in America.”
Campaign For Family Farms
Cincinnati, Ohio


The Pork Checkoff:
On the history of the pork checkoff debate and court ruling
George Naylor,
Greene County, Iowa


Pork Checkoff is Unconstitutional!
"A huge victory for independent family farmers"
Campaign for Family Farms
Columbia, Missouri


Mushroom Checkoff Declared Unconstitutional by Nation’s Highest Court
Campaign for Family Farms
Washington, DC


Congressional Leaders Tell USDA:
"Honor the Vote, End the Checkoff"
Campaign for Family Farms
Columbia, Missouri


Hogs in the Press
by Loranda J. Daniels-Buoy
Long Pine, Nebraska


Hogging the Market
Dramatic shifts in agricultural policies are needed
to rescue the independent farmer
David Morris
Minneappolis, Minnesota


Hog Farmers Launch Lawsuit Against USDA
Blairstown, Iowa
Campaign for Family Farms


Veneman admits ignorance on pork tax decision
Des Moines, Iowa
Campaign for Family Farms


• Farmers Protest Pork Tax
  “Honor our vote, honor democracy, end the pork tax now!”
  Campaign for Family Farms
  Washington, DC
  
  
• USDA Rejects Hog Farmers’ Democratic Vote
  Cut Back Room Deal with NPPC to Keep Pork Checkoff in Place
  Campaign for Family Farms
  Columbia, Missouri
  
  
• Hog Farmers End Mandatory Pork Checkoff:
  Independent producers vote down pork tax
  Campaign for Family Farms
  Washington, D.C.
  
  
• Four Checkoff Updates
  - NPPC Attempts to Rig Checkoff Vote
  - Hog farmers demand Ag Secretary reverse biased decision on pork checkoff vote
  - NPPC Caught Again & Again Misusing checkoff dollars to sway pork - referendum
  - NPPC and Corporate Agribusiness Team up to Influence the Checkoff Vote
  by Campaign for Family Farms
  Columbia, Missouri / Washington, D.C.
  
  
• USDA publishes final rules for mandatory pork checkoff referendum
  Campaign for Family Farms
  Washington D.C.
  
  
• Hog Farmers Win the Right to Vote to
  Terminate Mandatory Pork Checkoff
  USDA Secretary Glickman Accepts Petitions: Makes Decision to Hold Vote
  Campaign for Family Farms
  Columbia, Missouri
  
  
• Hog farmers criticize NPPC president for lawsuit threat on checkoff vote
  Campaign for Family Farms
  Columbia, Missouri
  
  
• Hog farmers blast USDA:
  Vow to get pork checkoff recall vote
  Campaign for Family Farms
  Columbia, Missouri
  
  
• Three hog farmers explain why they are voting "NO" to end the mandatory pork checkoff tax
  by Rhonda Perry -- Harold Beach -- Gary Malone
  Armstrong, Missouri -- Leonard, Missouri -- Palisade, Nebraska
  
  
• Anti-check off signatures are flooding in
  Hog farmers want an end to the mandatory pork checkoff
  by Rhonda Perry
  Columbia, Missouri
  
  
• Family farmers pressure Pork Producers Council to refund checkoff money
  by Rhonda Perry,
  Columbia, Missouri
  
  
• Pork Producers Council illegally uses funds to monitor family farm organizations
  Summary of USDA's AMS Audit of NPPC
  by Hugh Espy,
  Des Moines, Iowa
  
  
• Willie Nelson Lends Support to Family Farmers At National Ag Day Protest Against Factory Farming -
  U.S. Sen. Wellstone Calls for USDA Investigation Into NPPC Activities
  by Brian DeVore,
  Des Moines, Iowa
  
  
• National Pork Producers Council uses checkoff to investigate farm groups
  Farmers call for Congressional investigation
  by Brian DeVore,
  Minneapolis, Minnesota
  

Hog Wars:

• Hog Wars --
  The Corporate Grab for Control of the Hog Industry and How Citizens Are Fighting Back
  by Patty Cantrell, Rhonda Perry & Paul Sturtz, Columbia, Missouri
  • Part 1 - Missouri was corporate agriculture's dream state
  • Part 2 - An unprecedented family farm-environmentalist alliance takes hold
  • Part 3 - Democracy from the state government and responsibility from the mega-corps
    
     
• The Environment (. . . and factory farms)
  Waste -- Odor / Gases / Air -- Water / Soil -- Food Safety Concerns --Animal Welfare
  by Patty Cantrell, Rhonda Perry & Paul Sturtz
  Columbia, Missouri
  
  
• Economic Disaster - Boom or bust?
  Corporate livestock factories' self-serving contracts, tax breaks, market-monopolizing strategy and few local purchases
  Patty Cantrell, Rhonda Perry & Paul Sturtz, Columbia, Missouri