WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to decrease the current Pork Checkoff assessment rate of 0.40 percent (40 cents per $100) of the market value of all pigs sold in the United States to 0.35 percent. USDA is also proposing to decrease assessments on imported pork and pork products to ensure imported and domestic products receive equal treatment.

Assessments on domestic and imported pork are authorized by the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985. The assessments fund promotion, research, and consumer education activities that are designed to strengthen the position of pork in the marketplace as directed by the National Pork Board and overseen by USDA. This assessment decrease was recommended by the National Pork Producers Delegate Body (Delegate Body), who voted on the issue during its annual meeting held in Louisville, Ky., on March 9-11, 2022.

The proposed rule describing the assessment decrease appears in preview in today’s Federal Register. The proposed rule is scheduled to be published officially in the Federal Register on July 20, 2022. Written comments must be received by Friday, August 19, 2022. The proposed decrease reflects the Delegate Body’s desire to adjust the assessment for producers. Assessments on imported pork and pork products are established by a formula each year, based on U.S. market prices for hogs.

The proposed change would decrease annual funding of the promotion, research, and consumer information program by an estimated $13.5 million annually. For more information, contact Maribel Reyna, (202) 302-1139 or Maribel.Reyna@usda.gov.

–USDA AMS