Reno, NV - Citing a growing number of important public policy issues whose direction is critical to the survival of the U.S. pork industry, producer delegates at the annual meeting of the National Pork Producers Council March 6-7 in Reno, Nev., called for a voluntary industry investment program to supplement the present pork producer checkoff.
Delegates, heeding reports that state pork producer associations and NPPC must find new sources of revenue to meet growing demands to protect producers' interests on various legislative and regulatory issues, called for the proposed details of the voluntary program to be completed, presented to states and then acted upon at a special NPPC delegate meeting by Oct. 1 of this year.
Among the pressing issues facing the pork industry that cannot presently be financed with checkoff funds are environmental policy matters, foreign trade policy and trade access issues.
The precise components of a voluntary investment program will be determined at the special delegate session. Some elements of the discussion will include the following:
The voluntary investment program would be initiated at the point of animal sale; It would be established at a minimum rate of five cents per market hog or sow; The funds would be split, with 50 percent going to the state pork producer organizations, and 50 percent to NPPC.
It is estimated that a five cent per head voluntary checkoff for public policy purposes would have the participation of at least 70 percent of pork producers. That would generate approximately $3.3 million annually.
Delegates at the National Pork Industry Forum strongly urged the Pork Processors Industry Council (PPIC), an industry support group made up of pork packers and processors, to establish its support contribution at a 50 percent (2.5 cents per head) match of the rate of the voluntary investment program. All funds from the PPIC source would remain at NPPC.
Delegates also called for NPPC to pursue a targeted fund that other businesses allied with the pork industry could invest in to help finance the industry's need for public policy issue funding.
Press Here for Info on Setting Your Own Web Site
Meat Industry Insights News Service
P.O. Box 553
Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
Web Site: http://www.spcnetwork.com/mii