Judge says check-off names stay out of public view

A judge has ruled farmers who signed a petition to end the manditory porkcheck-off should NOT have their names disclosed to the public. Under thecheck-off, hog farmers pay 45 cents on every one-hundred dollars worth ofpork they sell. The money is fowarded to the National Pork ProducersCouncil, which went to court, asking for the names of petition-signers. Hugh Espey is a spokesman for the “Campaign for Family Farms.”Espey says the judge sided with their contention that the N-P-P-C wants tointimidate farmers who signed the petition.Nearly 17-thousand farmers signed the petitions, seeking a referendum votewhich could end the pork check-off. The pork check-off has been in effectfor a dozen years. Supporters say N-P-P-C-sponsored ad campaigns boostconsumer demand for pork.