Pork checkoff rate reduced by 5 cents

The pork checkoff rate will be reduced by 5 cents – from 45 cents per $100 of value to 40 cents per $100 of value – Sept. 30, according to the USDA.

Elected representatives of the pork producers and importers who pay the pork checkoff voted to recommend the rate reduction during their annual meeting earlier this year. The recommendation was sent to the USDA, which, following the rule-making process, gave its approval and posted the effective date.

Collection. The pork checkoff is collected on the sale of all domestic and imported market hogs, feeder pigs and breeding stock. An amount equivalent to the checkoff on those animals is collected on imported pork and pork products.

“An 11 percent reduction in the checkoff’s promotion, research and consumer information programs obviously is going to have some impact on those programs,” said Dave Culbertson, a pork producer from Geneseo, Ill., who also is one of 15 producers serving on the National Pork Board and chairman of the board’s budget committee.

“The impact of the reduction will result in reduced programming. However, we believe that prioritization of programs and use of reserves, together with good management, will help us minimize the impact of reduced revenues,” he said.

Dating back. The checkoff rate of 45 cents per $100 of value has been in effect since 1995.

The pork checkoff was created by Congress as part of the Pork Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act of 1985 and was collected for the first time in 1986.

In 2002, approximately $50 million of checkoff money administered by the National Pork Board is being used for a variety of programs designed to increase demand and exports, to conduct research in areas ranging from animal health to the environment, and to inform consumers about pork as a menu choice.

Approximately 20 percent of checkoff funds are returned to state pork organizations for their use in promotion, research and consumer information programs.

Responsibility. The National Pork Board has responsibility for research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public.

Through a legislative national pork checkoff, pork producers invest 45 cents for each $100 value of hogs sold.

That amount becomes 40 cents for each $100 value Sept. 30.

The pork checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and food-service marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, education and technology and swine health, pork quality and safety.

For more information visit www.porkboard.org or call 515-223-2600.