Secretary Vilsack Appoints National Pork Producers Delegate Body

February 3, 2010 — 

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced today the appointment of 154 pork producers and 6 importers to the 2010 National Pork Producers Delegate Body (Delegate Body). All appointees will serve a one-year term. The appointees were selected from nominees submitted by state pork producer association and importer groups.

Appointed members representing pork producers by state are listed on the USDA website.

Established under the Pork Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act of 1985, the Delegate Body and the National Pork Board have implemented a national program designed to improve the pork industry's position in the marketplace. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service oversees operations of the Delegate Body. Representation on the Delegate Body is based on annual net assessments collected on sales of domestic hogs within individual states, with a minimum of two producers from each state. States have the option of not submitting nominees.

Delegates meet annually to recommend the rate of assessment, determine the percentage of assessments that state associations will receive and nominate producers and importers to the 15-member National Pork Board. The Delegate Body will be seated during the March 4-7, 2010, National Pork Industry Forum in Kansas City, Missouri.

The program is funded by an assessment currently set at 0.40 percent of the market value of all hogs sold in the United States. An equivalent amount on imported hogs, pork and pork products is also collected.