COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director James Zehringer signed the final administrative order to put into effect the state’s comprehensive livestock care standards, during a signing ceremony at Fort Recovery High School last week.

Creating and implementing the livestock care standards was a constitutional requirement, following the 2009 passage of Issue 2. The 13-member Ohio Livestock Care Standards board spent 18 months obtaining industry and public input while developing rules affecting the care of alpacas, beef, dairy, goats, horses, llamas, pork, poultry, sheep and veal.

“It is very good that we are finally going to be able to send a clear message to Ohio farmers that we have rules, and it is going to be an opportunity for them to expand and grow with a clear understanding of what the livestock care standards are in the state of Ohio,” Zehringer said.

The Livestock Care Standards Board will continue to meet three times a year to review what has been done and to make any necessary changes, he said. There will be due process and a lot of public input.

Among the changes are different cage requirements for poultry farmers, Zehringer said.

Veal producers will have until 2018 to make changes, including the elimination of tethering of animals. The timing of the changes varies by the species.

“Most of the standards are just good common-sense husbandry standards concerning water and feed, transportation and euthanasia,” Zehringer said. “Every species (producer) will be able to look at what the standards are for their species.”

Also, the Humane Society of the United States was involved in all of the meetings. “A lot of commodity groups, industry people, veterinarians and farmers have put a lot of thought into this process,” Zehringer said.

“I really can’t say enough about my predecessor, Director (Robert) Boggs. He was here for 18 months and I’ve been here for nine; he put a lot of work and effort into this.

“We’re proud to sign this,” he added. “It is going to be pivotal point in Ohio agriculture, one that will improve our production practices and create consumer confidence in our products.”

These rules went into effect Sept. 29. As part of ODA’s education effort, a series of species-specific guides are available to producers.

For more information, visit www.agri.ohio.gov/LivestockCare Standards