FARM ACTION FOCUS: CHECKOFF CORRUPTION — IT’S WHAT’S FOR DINNER

The checkoff is a mandatory fee that many U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers pay every time they sell any of 22 commodities, including beef, pork, milk, corn, and soybeans. The fees fund government organizations that do research and promote the product or commodity. Theoretically, the producers benefit from this research and promotion. The trouble is, these programs take money from every producer, but they don’t benefit every producer — and in fact do demonstrable harm to some.

The checkoff has evolved into a behind-the-scenes machine that extracts money from farmers and ranchers against their will and then funnels it to corporate lobbyists — who work tirelessly to consolidate power over our entire food system into a few hands. Read our new “Root of the Issue” blog to learn more about this serious threat to our food system, and what we’re doing about it.

TAKE ACTION! TELL CONGRESS TO REFORM CORRUPT CHECKOFF PROGRAMS

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FARM ACTION MOVEMENT NEWS

How Food Companies’ Massive Profits Are Making Your Groceries More Expensive

“Today a primary cause of food inflation in this country is the market concentration that allows for price gouging,” says Farm Action’s Joe Maxwell.

Joseph Curl, The Daily Wire

Eggs-Tortion? Profits For Largest U.S. Egg Producer Soar 718%

In its letter to the FTC, Farm Action says the “real culprit” behind sky-high egg prices is a “collusive scheme” among top U.S. egg producers to fix prices to gouge consumers.

Luke Goldstein, The American Prospect

Farmers Pay Big Ag to Lobby Against Them

“America’s farmers and ranchers are tired of their checkoff tax dollars being funneled through the government and into the hands of trade and lobbying groups that work against fair competition and market transparency,” said Farm Action’s Angela Huffman.

Kevin Haggerty, American Wire

Large Egg Companies Accused of ‘Extortion’ for Spiking Prices Over 700% for Profits

Farm Action issued a letter to the FTC calling for an investigation into the rising prices of eggs in January.

Jeff Louderback, The Epoch Times

After Reaching Record Levels, Egg Prices Drop Steeply in March as Price Gouging Allegations Linger

Farm Action’s Dee Laninga said she finds it odd that Cal-Maine continues to blame the avian flu on production costs when the company has not reported a positive test at any of its facilities.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Tuesday, April 18, 5 p.m. ET

A food system controlled by multinational corporations threatens our food supply and national security. In the second webinar in Farm Action’s farm bill series, learn from a panel of farm and policy experts about how we can rein in Big Ag’s power and create resilient local and regional food systems:

Tuesday, April 18, 8 p.m. ET
Farm Action’s Joe Maxwell will discuss how CAFOs benefit from current farm bill programs and how the 2023 Farm Bill could better support independent livestock farms in this upcoming webinar hosted by Jefferson County Farmers and Neighbors.

PRIORITIZING FOOD NOT FEED

WHAT’S THE TALK?

A new report from the Government Accountability Office shows that the biggest contributors to rising food prices were food processing and retail trade, reports CBS news. “A major factor that goes unnoticed in this analysis is the role of profits,” the outlet notes.

Some American farmers say the U.S. should agree to sell Mexico non-GM corn, reports Reuters. "It seems to me like the secretary and this administration are not standing up for all farmers," said Greg Gunthorp, an Indiana farmer who feeds non-GM corn to his livestock to produce premium meat products. "What they’re really standing up for is the big companies."

A new report from U.S. PIRG shows that Right to Repair laws could save U.S. farmers $4.2 billion per year by providing them with independent repair options.

Federal agencies could foster more competition in government contracting markets by instituting basic ethics and eligibility standards, writes Toni Aguilar Rosenthal of the Revolving Door Project. The government has continued to contract with corporations like JBS, turning a blind eye to unlawful abuses of child labor and other workers, systemic underpayments of family farmers, and food safety violations.

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