Indiana creates pork and soybean market-development programs as a federal backstop

Indiana is standing up two new agricultural marketing programs that kick in only if their federal counterparts go away, under a bill (SB0055) signed by the governor on February 23 as Public Law 8. The pork market development program will be administered by the Indiana Pork Producers Association and the soybean market development program by the Indiana Soybean Alliance.

Both programs apply only when assessments are not levied and collected under federal law, making them a contingent state-level replacement for the federal commodity checkoff system. The bill sets out the procedures and requirements each association must follow to operate.

Sen. Leising sponsored the bill. The Senate passed it 46-1 on January 20 and the House 94-1 on February 10. Nine additional legislators signed on as sponsors.