The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) proposes to decrease the current Pork Checkoff assessment rate of 0.40% (40 cents per $100) of the market value of all pigs sold in the United States to 0.35%. 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.