By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio — It took a vote by Ohioans last November to make Issue 2 (or, the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board) a reality. And now that the 13-member board is in place the group is holding regional public listening sessions this month in five different regions of the state.

Readers may recall the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board is charged with establishing statewide standards governing the care and well-being of livestock, while promoting food safety, preventing animal and human diseases, and encouraging local food production.

Thus, the purpose of the listening sessions is to allow Ohioans the opportunity to provide input to the Board and to educate the Board members and public on the various factors the Board needs to consider as it begins to establish standards of livestock care.
The meetings will be held May 12 in Allen County (Independence Elementary School in Lima), May 13 in Franklin County (Columbus Global Academy in Columbus), May 18 in Montgomery County (Miami Valley Career Technology Center in Clayton), May 25 in Guernsey County (Mideast Career & Technology Center in Senecaville) and May 26 in Ross County (Carver Community Center in Chillicothe).

All listening sessions will be held from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Written comment may also be submitted. The Board will use the unbiased facilitation services of the Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution and Conflict Management.

The Board is in place and includes a director, three family farmers, two veterinarians, a food safety expert, a representative of a local humane society, two members representing statewide farm organizations, the dean of an Ohio agriculture college and two members representing Ohio consumers.

Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Robert Boggs will seek the approval of roughly $345,000 in Fiscal Year 2010 and 2011 to fund the board (from already existing ODA funds). Boggs said he will also request funding for additional staff to enforce standards in the next biennial budget if necessary. Board members will serve without compensation.

At the upcoming meetings, members of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board expect to field many questions regarding the enforcement of set standards. As of now, inspectors may seek consent from a farmer to enter his or her property at a reasonable time to determine compliance with animal care standards. If permission is denied, a court may grant permission if probable cause for inspection is demonstrated. Non-compliance with standards would be subject to civil penalties, not criminal penalties.