In the aftermath of the American Egg Board controversy in which Property of the People uncovered the USDA's attempts to quash the success of plant-based food company Hampton Creek, the USDA checkoff boards responded by pushing for anti-transparency language in the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill of 2017 (114th Congress, 2nd Session). In the bill, Congress stated that it urged the USDA to recognize the checkoff boards as not being subject to 5 U.S.C. Section 552 -- the Freedom of Information Act. These records were generated in response to our request for documents on the bill.

Relevant tagging includes: USDA, FOIA, Checkoffs, Checkoff Boards, FOIA Exemption Bill, Big Ag, Robert Aderholt, Sam Farr, Congress, Transparency, Secrecy