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FRANKFORT, Ky. — A referendum on a state pork check-off program will be held April 5 from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. local time at all county cooperative extension offices, Agriculture Commissioner Richie Farmer has announced.
The referendum asks persons directly involved in hog production to assess themselves at a rate of 40 cents per $100 of sales in the event that the national check-off program is discontinued. The Kentucky Pork Producers Association would administer the funds for pork promotion, consumer information, producer communication, industry information and research.
The check-off would be mandatory, but producers would have the option to be reimbursed.
The Kentucky State Board of Agriculture approved the Kentucky Pork Producers Association’s request for a referendum in its January meeting.
Absentee voting is permitted. To vote absentee, a producer should request an absentee ballot in person at his or her local University of Kentucky county extension office. To get the ballot, the producer will need to sign a form that states “I am directly involved in the production of hogs” and that includes the producer’s current address. This form will be supplied at the extension office. The producer is responsible for sending the ballot to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. Absentee ballots must be received by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Room 188, Capitol Annex, Frankfort, Kentucky, 40601, before April 5, 2005.
The United States Supreme Court is expected to rule whether the national beef check-off is constitutional in the first half of 2005. A federal appeals court has ruled that beef producers do not have to pay the check-off fee. The Supreme Court ruling will affect other check-off programs. The pork check-off program also has been challenged in court, and in October 2003 a federal appeals court upheld a district court ruling that the pork check-off is unconstitutional.
For more information, contact Mike Ovesen of the Kentucky Pork Producers Association by phone at (270) 737-5665 or by e-mail at kypork@bbtel.com, or Mark Farrow at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture by phone at (502) 564-5126 or by e-mail at mark.farrow@kyagr.com.
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NOTE TO EDITORS: The check-off referendum notice follows.
NOTICE OF PORK CHECK-OFF REFERENDUM
A check-off referendum will be held on Tuesday, April 5, 2005, from 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (local time) at all county Cooperative Extension Service offices. Persons directly involved in the production of hogs will be eligible to vote. Identification will be necessary to vote.
Application to hold a statewide referendum was made by the Kentucky Pork Producers Association and approved by the Kentucky State Board of Agriculture at their January 24, 2005 meeting.
The referendum will be asking pork producers to assess themselves at the rate of 40 cents per $100 of sales. The Kentucky Pork Producers Association will administer the funds in the areas of Pork Promotion, Consumer Information, Producer Communication, Industry Information, and Research. A federal check-off program has been in place since 1987.
Although collection of check-off funds shall be mandatory, reimbursement of funds paid is an option to the producer.
PLEASE NOTE: The state check-off program will take effect ONLY if the national check-off program is terminated. In the case of termination of the national program, the state pork check-off would take effect immediately.
Absentee voting is permitted. The request for an absentee ballot shall be made in writing to the local extension agent at least five (5) days in advance of the referendum date. The request for the absentee ballot must contain the following statement: “I am directly involved in the production of hogs.” Absentee ballots must be received by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, Room 188, Capitol Annex, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601 before April 5, 2005.
For additional information, contact Mike Ovesen, Kentucky Pork Producers Association, 270/737-5665, e-mail: kypork@bbtel.com or Mark Farrow, Kentucky Department of Agriculture, 502/564-5126, e-mail: mark.farrow@ky.gov.
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