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Hog Farmers Cry Foul Over Possible Misuse of Marketing Funds

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Thursday, December 6, 2012   

RALEIGH, N.C. - Hog farmers in North Carolina and beyond are protesting what they allege is the misuse of fees they pay into a national fund for marketing the pork industry. In a complaint filed with the U.S. Agriculture Department, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) claims that the National Pork Producers Council has been illegally using the money for lobbying efforts that favor industrialized farms.

Joe Maxwell is a life-long hog farmer and vice president of outreach and engagement for HSUS. He says he uses humane practices to raise his pigs, but others do not.

"That is lobbying against my individual, family-farm interests - and it needs to stop. Some of these operations cage these animals all of their life."

A representative for the National Pork Board says the only contribution made to lobbying efforts is that they host an annual dinner for the National Pork Producers Council to gain exposure for their marketing efforts. After the HSUS filed a complaint, however, the National Pork Board was removed from the list of "alliance members" on the National Pork Producers Council website. HSUS says that any money paid toward the lobbying groups' efforts is illegal under federal law.

According to Kim Alboum, HSUS North Carolina director, the council should be using these funds to help hog farmers incorporate more humane treatment into their facilities. Several large commercial pork customers - including McDonald's, Walmart and Sam's Club stores - have already announced they will stop buying pork from industrialized farms that use gestation crates to immobilize female hogs and keep them producing offspring, she says.

"We're seeing markets close. You would think that these pork councils would really want to step forward and help farmers to convert their practices, in an effort to help them continue on doing business."

A study by Iowa State University has found that hog farms can be just as profitable and productive without using gestation crates and without increasing their workforce. There are about 10 million hogs in North Carolina, with many of the industrialized farms located in the eastern part of the state.

The Iowa State study is available at www.ipic.iastate.edu.




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