Checkoff Transparency Act
Sponsored By: Representative Spartz
Introduced
Summary
Public transparency for commodity promotion boards. This bill would require the Department of Agriculture to publish audit reports, approved activities and budgets, and results of independent evaluations for every commodity promotion order.
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- Commodity boards: Their annual audit reports, approved budgets, activity lists, and independent evaluation results would be posted on USDA's website, making their finances and programs public.
- Producers and industry stakeholders: They would get access to how promotion dollars are spent and what programs do, which can inform business and oversight decisions.
- Public, journalists, and watchdogs: USDA would have to post the five full fiscal years before enactment within 180 days and post each subsequent fiscal year within 365 days after that fiscal year ends.
- USDA operations: The bill would add a new transparency subsection and adjust internal cross-references to reflect the revised subsection numbering for ongoing public disclosure duties.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
More transparency for farm checkoff boards
If enacted, the bill would require the Secretary of Agriculture to publish on USDA's website, for each commodity promotion order, three items: audit reports submitted under section 515(g)(2); each board's approved activities and budgets; and results of periodic independent evaluations described in subsection (c). The agency would have to post the five full fiscal years before enactment within 180 days after enactment. For later years, USDA would have to post each fiscal year's records within 365 days after that fiscal year ends. This requirement would apply to every order the Secretary issues under commodity promotion laws.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Spartz
IN • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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