Over the past 30 years, Congress has enacted legislation explicitly authorizing national generic promotion ("check-off') programs for 20 separate farm commodities. Under the 1996 farm act, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) also received broad-based authority to establish such programs for virtually any agricultural commodity without waiting for prior congressional authorization, which was a past requirement. Supporters promote generic promotion programs as farmer self-help activities demanding minimal government involvement and little, if any, federal funding. However, to fund promotion, all major producers are required to pay an assessment generally tied to each unit they market. The assessment is deducted from revenues at time of sale--thus the name check-off. Some farmers object strongly to what they contend is a "tax" for activities they would not underwrite voluntarily, and have challenged the legality of the programs in the federal courts. (source:summary)
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