Michigan Judge Orders Halt To Pork Checkoff

In a blow to future research and promotion for U.S. pork producers, a U.S. District Court judge Oct. 28 in Michigan ruled the Pork Production, Research and Consumer Education Act is unconstitutional and ordered a halt to checkoff collections starting Nov. 24.

“We strongly support the pork checkoff program as enacted by Congress and disagree with this ruling. We will ask the government to immediately request a stay of the District Court’s ruling,” said Dave Roper, president of the National Pork Producers Council, and a pork producer from Kimberly, Idaho. “It is unfortunate that a group of farm activists has chosen to force us into a battle to defend our right to fund the research and promotion of our products.” Roper added that producers are very concerned about the impact on state pork producer associations as a potential outcome of the ruling.

The challenge to the pork checkoff’s constitutionality was raised by the Campaign for Family Farms, a White Bear, Minn.-based group.

“There is a strong case in support of the constitutionality of the pork checkoff program and we are hopeful that a higher court will rule to overturn the District Court’s decision,” said Roper.

Roper said NPPC believes the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Department of Justice will be immediately initiating a process to appeal the ruling. “We expect the checkoff and its programs to continue,” he said.