|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Ohio veal producers worried they may be out of business |
|
|
|
On Aug. 1, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) permitted the final two proposed Livestock Standards, layer hens and veal, to become Rule in the State of Ohio.
So, it is over. Or is it?
I am pleased that the members of the joint legislative committee, JCARR, took seriously their charge to examine the process.
Through this process, several members of JCARR identified and expressed their concern with the negative “unintended consequences” that this Rule will impose on the independent veal farmers in Ohio.
In light of those consequences, these Legislators pledged their help and support to Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and Farm Bureau in finding ways to assist these family veal farmers, in order to minimize the negative impact this Rule will have on their farms.
Our independent veal farmers in Ohio are grateful for this commitment, and look forward to the future of what that assistance may look like.
The voters of Ohio in 2009 stated that they wanted “minimum standards” for livestock care established by objective, measurable criteria. But even our ODA stated at the July 11 JCARR hearing that “Ohio seeks to have the most ‘progressive’ standard in the nation.” Where upon, Sen. LaRose asked the State Veterinarian, “you mean to tell me that we will be so ‘progressive’ that we will drive one half of the veal production out of Ohio?”
The “Buckeye Compromise” did buy time for the OLCSB, but we all agree that it confused and compromised the intended, deliberative process.
Some question if veal farmers were singled out. The veal community was not involved in the closed door discussions that created the “Buckeye Compromise.”
Under the adopted standards, here are the facts:
•A Holstein bull destined for a veal market may never be tethered except for transport or treatment.
•A Holstein bull (heifer or cow) in a dairy operation or market may be tethered for an indeterminate amount of time.
•A Holstein bull or steer in a beef operation or market may be tethered for an indeterminate amount of time.
•Any dairy farmer must never tether a bull calf prior to sending that calf to market in a few days, as that young bull calf is destined to a veal market. He may tether that calf if it is going to a beef or dairy market.
•Veal calves must be able to turn around at all times when no other species or class of bovine is required to.
•Veal calves must be in a group pen when no other species or class of bovine is required to.
•Other species and classes of bovine include “prohibit excessive competition” and veal does not. (Group pens are proven to increase competition.)
•Veal farmers have until 2017 to make a conversion, gestation stalls have until 2025, and existing layer facilities have no deadline.
There is no question that the outside agreement provided a little temporary safety for the majority of livestock producers in Ohio, in exchange for the loss of liberty of the relative few veal farmers in Ohio.
This rule is not just an inconvenience for the independent veal farmers in Ohio, which represent more than one-half of the production in Ohio.
They have said that they do not anticipate continuing to raise veal in the State of Ohio after 2017. Their other option is to become “feeders” for large, integrated entities that own the animals rather than the farmer.
Unfortunately, ODA, by their parade of witnesses before JCARR, has endorsed this as the “preferred model” as opposed to the independent veal farmer model.
Some have asked what I am personally going to do from here. In the interim, I am optimistic about the next six years for my farm.
In most models, the early adaptors are perceived to be the winners. That is not a given in this case.
Some veal farmers in Indiana that changed to group pens have already converted their barns back to individual pens
We all would like to ignore the 800-pound gorilla in the room. But HSUS and their allies are not going away; they will be back for more. Then what is the Ohio Ag community going to do when we have already compromised the truth of what we do and why we do it?
What are you going to do when it is your turn?
It is not over. It has just started.
To quote a recent OFB article, “What is the better way forward?” Because this one is not working.
Bob Cochrell
Burbank, Ohio |
| 8/10/2011 |
|
|
|
|
