By DOUG GRAVES
Ohio Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A narrow vote on how much veal calves should have just might hinder a deal that kept an Ohio livestock standards issue off the statewide ballot last year.

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is threatening to give new life to a campaign it dropped last year because a state panel reneged on part of the 2010 agreement. Last month, the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board – a 13-member panel created by a state constitutional amendment approved in 2009 – voted 6-5 on a standard for confining veal calves.

But HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle said the “crates are so small the veal calves are unable to turn around for more than half of their lives before slaughter.” Pacelle added the vote jeopardizes a “carefully crafted animal welfare agreement reached last June between the Humane Society and eight leading agricultural trade organizations, including the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF).”

Some say they believe the HSUS “animal welfare” concern is a mere front for the organization’s real agenda, which is converting the world to a vegetarian or vegan lifestyle. Pacelle refutes that claim and said he is only looking out for the well-being of the animals before being shipped to slaughter.

“There is still time for the Livestock Board to restore its original and proper position,” he said. “A phase-out of veal crates is a core element of the eight-point animal welfare agreement, and if the Livestock Board guts that provision by allowing calves to be immobilized for more than half of their lives, we will have little choice but to review the effort for a ballot initiative that we had hoped had been averted through a balanced and forward-looking agreement.”
Issue 2 was passed by Ohio voters by a 2-1 margin. Issue 2 created the Livestock Care Standards Board to allow broad public input into farm and animal care issues. Those in the agriculture community believe the HSUS plan would force the board to adopt HSUS policies.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich has declared his opposition to a ballot measure being planned by the out-of-state activist organization, calling the move “extremism. “No outsiders ought to come in here and try to destroy our farms,” he said.
Other politicians have weighed in on Pacelle’s attempt at putting the issue before voters once again. “We don’t need extreme out-of-state groups coming into Ohio. It just shows the political angle of the Humane Society,” Ohio Republican Party Chair Kevin DeWine said.

“It’s pretty remarkable,” Ohio Democratic Chair Chris Redfern said, “for someone to tell us what our rules should be. The HSUS is clearly out of touch with Ohioans.”

The HSUS, which is not the parent of locally operated humane organizations, advocates for reducing and eliminating consumption of animal products. HSUS is planning on using paid petition gatherers to place on the November ballot a measure to overturn Issue 2.

“Ohio voters have spoken clearly,” said OFBF Executive Vice President Jack Fisher. “The Care Board is the best way to resolve animal care issues and the board should be given the chance to prove itself. I applaud the courage of Ohio’s elected and political leaders for standing up for what’s right and protecting our state’s interests from outsiders who want to interfere.”

The board is comprised of 13 members, including the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) director as its chair, 10 members chosen by the governor and a selection each from the Senate President and the House Speaker.
The 10 members chosen include ODA Director James Zehringer, State Veterinarian Tony Forshey, veterinarian Leon Weaver,  statewide farm organization representative Jeff Wuebker, Bobby Moser, the agriculture dean at Ohio State University, food safety expert Jeffrey LeJeune, county Humane Society representative Harold Dates, statewide farm organization representative Jerry Lahmers, consumers Lisa Hamler-Fugitt and Robert Cole and family farmers Bill Moody, Dominic Marchese and Stacey Atherton.