National Pork Board Online Privacy Statement

The National Pork Board (“NPB,” “we,” “us,” and “our”) owns and operates the website or mobile application from which this policy was linked (the “Site”). NPB collects certain information about you through the Site. Some of the information NPB collects may be “personal information” – information that, alone or in combination with other available information, identifies you personally. Other information may be non-identifiable.

This Privacy Statement (this “Statement”) applies to the Site and explains what information may be collected through your use of the Site, why the Site collects such information, how your information is protected, and the choices you have about how your information is used. By using the Site, you are consenting to the collection, use, disclosure, and transfer of your information as described in this Statement. If you do not consent to the collection, use, disclosure and transfer of your information as described in this Statement, you may not use the Site. This Statement is part of the Terms of Use that govern your use of the Site. 

This Statement may be supplemented or amended from time to time by additional privacy notices provided at the time your information is collected. For example, certain pages of this Site may contain additional privacy notices providing more details about the information collected on those particular pages, why the Site needs that information, and choices you may have about the ways the Site uses that information. In addition, when you sign up to use a special feature of the Site, you may be asked to agree to special terms governing your use of the special feature. In such cases, you may be asked to expressly consent to the special terms, for example, by checking a box or clicking on a button marked “I agree.” This type of agreement is known as a “click-through” agreement. If any of the terms of the click-through agreement are different than the terms of this Statement, the terms of the click-through agreement will supplement or amend this Statement, but only with respect to the matters governed by the “click-through agreement.”

Changes to this Statement
NPB reserves the right to modify this Statement at any time by posting the revised version of the Statement on the Site and updating the effective date listed above. Your use of the Site following any such change constitutes your agreement that all information collected from or about you after the revised Statement is posted will be subject to the terms of the revised Statement. 

Table of Contents:
• Information We Collect
• Third-Party Cookies
• How We Use Your Information
• How We Share Your Information
• Your Choices
• Retention and Protection of Your Information
• Access to Your Personal Information
• Children’s Privacy
• Links to Other Websites
• Governing Law
• Questions About This Statement or NPB’s Data Practices

Information We Collect
Information You Manually Provide. NPB collects the information you manually provide (using your keyboard, mouse, or touchpad) when you use the Site. For example, we collect the information you provide when you register with one of our websites, sign up to receive one of our newsletters or to participate in one of our programs, submit or comment on a recipe, order a product, or e-mail us with questions or feedback. Some of this information may be personally identifiable.

Information From Third-Party Social Media Platforms. You may be able to register with, log on to, or enhance your profile on the Site by choosing to automatically populate the requested data fields with information you previously provided to a third-party social media platform (such as Facebook or X). By doing this, you are asking the third-party platform to send us information from your profile on that platform. We treat that information as we do any other information you give to us when you register, log on, or enhance your profile.

Information Automatically Sent to Us by Your Web Browser or Mobile Device. Information is sent to the Site automatically by your web browser. This information typically includes the IP address of the device you are using to access the Site, the name of your operating system, the name and version of your browser, the date and time of your visit, and the pages you visit. The information we receive depends on the settings on your web browser. Please check your browser if you want to learn what information your browser sends or how to change your settings.

Likewise, if you access the Site through your mobile device, the Site may automatically collect certain information from or about your device. The types of information the Site may collect include the type of device you use, the IP address of your device, your device’s operating system, the type of mobile browsers you use, and information about the way you use the Site. 

The information the Site automatically receives from your web browser or mobile device does not, by itself, identify you by name but could be combined with other information to identify you. As a result, depending on the laws of your state, this information may be considered personal information. Generally, we use this information in the aggregate to help us improve the Site. We may combine this information with other information that identifies you. We may also review our server logs for security purposes—for example, to detect intrusions into our network—and we might share our server logs, which contain visitors’ IP addresses, with the appropriate investigative authorities who could use that information to trace and identify you.

Information Collected by Cookies and Other Technologies. We use “cookies” and other technologies to collect information and support certain features of the Site. For example, we may use these technologies to:

• collect information about the ways visitors use the Site – which pages they visit, which links they use, and how long they stay on each page;
• support the features and functionality of the Site – for example, to save you the trouble of reentering information already in our database or to prompt the settings you established on previous visits
• personalize your experience when you use the Site; and
• improve our marketing efforts, including through use of targeted advertising.

The information we collect using cookies and similar technologies does not, by itself, identify you by name, but we may combine it with other information that does identify you. If you do not wish to receive cookies, you may set your browser to reject cookies or to alert you when a cookie is placed on your computer. Although you are not required to accept cookies when you visit the Site, you may be unable to use all of the functionality of the Site if your browser rejects our cookies.

Third-Party Cookies
In addition to the cookies NPB sets on your computer or mobile device through the Site, certain third parties may set cookies on your device through your use of the Site. For example, we use Google Analytics, a web analytics tool that helps us understand how visitors engage with our Sites. For more information on how Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services, please visit www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners.  

We may partner with third parties to provide you with targeted advertising based on your use of the Site. To do so, these third parties may set cookies on your computer or mobile device for the purpose of tracking your use of the Site and delivering targeted advertisements either on the Site or on other websites, including other nonaffiliated websites.

You have choices about the collection of information by third parties on the Site. For example, if you don’t want information about your visit to the Site sent to Google Analytics, you may download an Opt-out Browser Add-on offered by Google by visiting http://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en. Please note that the Add-on does not prevent information from being sent to NPB.

In addition, if you would like to opt-out of having information collected about your use of the Site for purposes of targeted advertising, please visit http://www.aboutads.info/choices. This link will take you to a website operated by the Digital Advertising Alliance, an organization representing advertising trade associations, that contains mechanisms for choosing whether participating advertising companies may collect and use data for online targeted advertising purposes. It may be that some of the third parties that collect on the Site do not participate in the Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out website, in which case the best way to avoid third-party tracking of your online behaviors may be through your browser settings and deletion of cookies. 

How We Use Your Information
Generally, we use the information we collect through the Site:
• to provide the information, products and services you request;
• to provide you with effective customer service;
• to provide you with a personalized experience when you use the Site and our other websites;
• to contact you with information and notices related to your use of the Site;
• to contact you with special offers and other information we believe will be of interest to you (in accordance with any privacy preferences you have expressed to us);
• to invite you to participate in surveys and provide feedback to us (in accordance with any privacy preferences you have expressed to us);
• to improve the content, functionality and usability of the Site and our other websites;
• to better understand your needs and interests;
• to improve our products and services;
• to improve our marketing and promotional efforts;
• for security, credit, or fraud prevention purposes; and
• for any other purpose identified in an additional privacy notice, click-through agreement, or other agreement between you and us.

How We Share Your Information
With Vendors. NPB shares information collected through the Site with vendors who act for us or perform services on our behalf. For example, we may use vendors to design and operate the Site, to conduct surveys, and to help us with our promotional efforts. These vendors may need information about you to perform their functions.

With Other Users of the Site. You may be able to submit User-Generated Content on or through the Site. In this Statement, “User-Generated Content” or “UGC” refers to all of the content that you post using the social networking tools we make available to you and that does not constitute “Feedback” (as that term is defined in our Terms of Use). Any personal information contained in UGC can be read, collected, or used by others. In addition, we may use UGC you submit for advertising campaigns and other promotions. We may or may not use your name in connection with such use, and we may or may not seek your consent before using the content for such purposes. Therefore, you should have no expectation of privacy with respect to UGC you submit on or through the Site.

With Third-Party Social Media Platforms. We may provide functionality on the Site that allows you to automatically post information about the actions you take on the Site to a third-party social media platform (such as Facebook or X). If you choose to take advantage of this functionality, people with access to your profile on the third-party platform may be able to see the actions you have taken. Thus, you should have no expectation of privacy in those actions. Further, if you choose to link your profile on the Site with an account on a third-party social media platform, we may share the information in your profile with that third-party platform.

With Carefully Selected Business Partners. From time to time, we may share your information with selected third parties (other than our vendors) for their own marketing purposes. For example, we may partner with third parties to sponsor contests or other promotions, and we may share with these third parties the information you submit to us to participate in the contest or take advantage of the promotion. Before doing so, however, we may offer you the opportunity to “opt out” or “opt in,” as required by applicable law.

With Pork Producers for Certification Tracking Purposes. If you participate in one of our training programs, we may share personal information concerning your training and certification with third-parties so that they can track your training and certification status. If you do not want your information shared for these purposes, you can opt-out by submitting an opt-out request using the contact information provided below; please include “Certification Sharing Opt-Out” in the subject line.

To Comply with Laws and Protect Our Rights and the Rights of Others. We may disclose your information when we believe in good faith that disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law (including, but not limited to, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture or pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act), a court order, or a subpoena. We may also disclose your information to prevent or investigate a possible crime, such as fraud or identity theft; to protect the security of the Site; to enforce or apply our online Terms of Use or other agreements; or to protect our own rights or property or the rights, property, or safety of our users or others.

As Part of a Reorganization. Your information may be transferred to a successor organization if, for example, NPB transfers the ownership or operation of the Site to another organization. If such a transfer occurs, the successor organization’s use of your information will still be subject to this Statement and the privacy preferences you have expressed to us.

As Described in an Additional Privacy Notice or Click-Through Agreement. We reserve the right to disclose your information as described in any additional privacy notice posted on a page of the Site where you provide that information. By providing your information on that page you will be consenting to the disclosure of your information as described in that privacy notice. We also reserve the right to disclose your information as described in any click–through agreement to which you have agreed.

Your Choices
We respect your right to make choices about the ways we collect, use, and disclose your information. This Statement describes some of your choices, and we also may ask you to indicate your choices at the time and on the pages where you provide your information. 

You may be able to change previously expressed preferences regarding how the Site uses your information through your account settings. Otherwise, you can contact us using the information provided in the Questions About This Statement or NPB’s Data Practices section below.

Retention and Protection of Your Information
NPB retains the personal information collected on the Site as long as necessary to provide the services, products, and information you request or as permitted by applicable law.

NPB takes reasonable precautions to provide a level of security appropriate to the sensitivity of the information we collect. Although we use reasonable measures to help protect your information against unauthorized use or disclosure, it is not possible to eliminate all risks. Therefore, we cannot guarantee the security of information provided over the Internet or stored in our databases and will not be responsible for breaches of security beyond our reasonable control.

Access to Your Personal Information
If you would like to review, correct and update the personal information you have provided to us through the Site,  please contact us using the information provided in the Questions About This Statement or NPB’s Data Practices section below. We will use reasonable efforts to comply with your request as required by applicable law.

Children’s Privacy
We do not knowingly collect, use or disclose personal information about visitors under 13 years of age. If you believe that a child has submitted personal information on or through the Site without the consent and supervision of a parent or guardian, please contact us using the information provided in the Questions About This Statement or NPB’s Data Practices section below so that we can take appropriate action.

Links to Other Websites
The Site may contain links to websites that are not operated by NPB. These links are provided for your reference and convenience only and do not imply any endorsement of the products sold or information provided through these websites, nor any association with their operators. NPB does not control these websites and is not responsible for their data practices. Any information you provide to third parties on their websites is covered under their privacy and data collection policies and is not covered by this Statement. We encourage you to review the privacy policy posted on any linked site you visit before using that site or providing any personal information.

Governing Law
This Statement shall be governed under the laws of the State of Iowa, United States of America without regard to its conflicts of law provisions. You hereby consent and waive all objections to jurisdiction of the federal and state courts of the state of Iowa and to venue therein.

Questions About This Statement or NPB’s Data Practices
If you have questions or concerns about this Statement or NPB’s data practices, please contact us by mail at National Pork Board, 1776 N.W. 114th St., Clive, IA 50325, or by email at [email protected].

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