05/27/05 Checkoff has been good for Idaho producer

There were some very happy beef, pork and dairy producers in Idaho when they got news earlier this week that the US Supreme Court upheld the mandatory beef checkoff. WILDER "This is a strong decision for not only beef producers but it's a strong decision for all checkoff programs." Laura Wilder of the Idaho Beef Council is right about that. Dairymen have their own checkoff program, so do pork producers. BENNETT "Everybody recognizes 'Pork the other white meat' it's kind of like the dairy producers 'Got Milk.' They have vast name recognition." Gordon Bennett is the president of the Idaho Pork Producers Association those two ad campaigns he mentioned are a direct result of the checkoff. What has the checkoff meant to the Idaho pork industry? BENNETT "If it wasn't for the state checkoff we would have not been able to be in the pseudo-rabies program. We would not have attained out level five status. We would not have been able to ship hogs as easily as we have been. The national, the price of pork I dare say would be 15, 20 maybe 30 cents a hundredweight less than it is right now if it wasn't for the pork checkoff, the research and the promotion that they have done." Even with the court decision this week there are some who refuse to take no for an answer and still want to pursue other legal challenges to the various checkoff programs. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott