The USDA filed a motion in court this week to dismiss the lawsuit HSUS and ICCI filed against the agency for approving the sale of the Pork the White Meat trademark. NPPC sold the trademark to the National Pork Board for $35 million financed over 20 years, for an annual payment of $3 million. Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement State Policy Director Adam Mason says they’ll continue the litigation despite the dismissal motion.

He says they want the court to make sure checkoff dollars are used properly.

Mason says ICCI will remain active on all issues involving checkoff funding for this and any other checkoff organization.

In their recent filing, the USDA says the lawsuit lacks merit, is barred by the statute of limitations, that the plaintiffs didn’t show standing necessary to file the lawsuit and didn’t show they were harmed by the sale.