Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Farmers want to hide information


American beef and pork producer organizations are asking the U.S. government to change its regulations so the public can’t get access to information about checkoff funds.

Legislation enables the beef and pork organizations to collect money on every animal sent to slaughter to support research and promotion.

The farmers argue that it’s their money and the public ought not have the right to information about their activities.

"We support inclusion of language in the Committee report urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to recognize that the research and promotion programs are funded solely with producer dollars, and therefore are not agencies of the federal government or subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)," the groups wrote. ... "By including the report language, please help ensure that producer resources are focused on research and promotion activities."

On the other hand, the Canadian Journalists for Free Expression is rallying today to lobby the Liberal government to more promptly on its election promise to revamp Access to Information legislation to open more information, and more promptly, to public scrutiny.

Canada has national marketing agency legislation that beef farmers have used to establish a national research and promotion agency, The pork industry has been waiting months for a decision from the National Farm Products Council on its application for a similar agency.

Under Canadian Access to Information Act does not apply to these agencies and national supply-management agencies for chickens, eggs, turkeys and hatching eggs.