Dive Brief:
- The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) and the National Pork Board (NPB) have expressed concerns about not being included in the USDA's settlement discussion with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
- That settlement would put an end to the HSUS's lawsuit over checkoff funds and the sale of the "Pork, the Other White Meat" trademark.
- NPB and NPPC had presented a resolution and advisement to the USDA at two annual meetings and petitioned USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to "mount a strong and vigorous defense" in the case and uphold the purchase agreement.
Dive Insight:
This decision by the USDA could cause tension going forward between the agency and the U.S. pork industry. HSUS's original lawsuit involved the complaint of one small hog farmer who had concerns about the checkoff program. Micheal Formica, NPPC assistant vice president of domestic policy and counsel, said the farmer had other options for voicing his concerns, such as participating in the NPB annual meeting.
However, the USDA's decision to discuss a settlement with HSUS without consulting NPPC or NPB demonstrates that a single producer who disagrees with the governing board "can bring the whole checkoff system down. This really calls into question all the checkoff organizations," Formica told National Hog Farmer.
The USDA has now also thrown into question its approval of contracts overall. In this case, HSUS, an activist group, sued the USDA over a previously approved contract, though neither party was involved in the contract itself. Instead of defending the contract at the request of the pork industry groups, the Department of Justice is choosing to settle without consulting the industry groups, who are the actual parties to the contract in discussion.