Animal Welfare Standards from the Research, Government, and Trade Groups - Ohio Livestock Care Standards - Dr. Tony Forshey, State Veterinarian, Ohio Department of Agriculture; Dr. David Glauer, State Veterinarian Ohio (ret.), from the 2017 NIAA Annual Conference, U.S. Animal Agriculture's Future Role In World Food Production - Obstacles & Opportunities, April 4 - 6, Columbus, OH, USA. More presentations at http://www.trufflemedia.com/agmedia/conference/2017_niaa_us_animal_ag_future_role_world_food_production

2. Ballot Initiative:
The Ohio Experience

3. Timeline
 February 2009
 HSUS came to Ohio

4. • Formed Ohioans for
Livestock Care Corp./PAC
― Ohio Farm Bureau
Federation
― 6 Major Ohio Farm Groups
• Paid media
• Social media
• Earned media
• Fundraising strategy
• Coalition building
• Accounting and legal
support
• Create a National model
Ohio Soybean
Association Ohio
Corn Growers
Ohio Farm Bureau
Federation
Ohio Pork Producers
Ohio Poultry
Association
Ohio Cattleman
Association
Ohio Dairy Producers
Assoc.
The Plan – A Proactive Approach

5. The Plan – A Proactive Approach
 Place Ohio Constitutional Amendment on
ballot – “Issue 2”
 Creates
 Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board
 13 member panel
 States how they are named
 Describes relationship with General Assembly
 Implementing Legislation needed

6. The Board:
The Governor will appoint 10 Ohioans
 One family farmer
 Two veterinarians (including the state vet)
 One food safety expert
 One local Humane Society representative
 Two representatives of state farm organizations
 One dean of an Ohio college of agriculture
 Two Ohio consumers
The Speaker of the House and President of the Senate will
each name a farmer (11-12)
Director of Ohio Department of Agriculture will be a member
and chair of the Board

7. What will the board do?
Set standards for the care and well-being of livestock
and poultry in Ohio:
 Maintain food safety
 Protect locally grown and raised food
 Make decisions based on fact, science and data
In setting standards, they must consider…..
– Overall animal health
– On-farm biosecurity
– Animal disease prevention
– Food safety
– Affordability of food supplies
– Best farm management practices
– Animal morbidity /mortality data

8. Timeline
 February 2009
 HSUS came to Ohio
 November 2009
 Passage of Issue 2; creation of the Ohio Livestock Care Board
(OLCSB)
 January 19, 2010
 Legislation introduced
 March 24, 2010
 Sub HB 414 passed by General Assembly
 March 31, 2010
 H.B. 414 signed by Governor
 April 27, 2010
 OLCSB members take oath of office
 May 2010
 6 regional public listening sessions
 June 1, 2010
 1st meeting held to start discussing issues and plan of work.

9. 2010: Here They Come Again
 HSUS:
 Originally chose not to support and work with board
or the process
 Proposed their own measure to force board outcomes
 Petition language was certified
 Started gathering signatures to get measure on the
November 2010 ballot

10. June 30th Agreement
• Governor brought all parties to the table; Ohioans
for Livestock Care (Farm Bureau, Cattlemen’s,
Pork, Poultry, Dairy, Soy, Corn) and HSUS.
• Good faith agreement
• Memorandum of understanding (not a legally
binding document)
• List of recommendations presented to OLCSB
• Avoided a ballot initiative for 2010.
• HSUS agreed to support the mission and purpose
of the OLCSB.
• Joint funding for research on livestock housing
systems.

11. OLCSB Initial Activities
 Meeting every 2 weeks
 Established a committee structure to assist in the
evaluation of standards
 Technical Research Advisory Committee (TRAC)
 Species-specific subcommittees
 Identified euthanasia and non-ambulatory animals as
priority issues to be addressed

12. Implementing Legislation
Definition of Livestock
 How is “livestock” defined?
 Equine
 Swine
 Cattle
 Goat
 Sheep
 Poultry
 Llama

14. General Process
 Species Subcommittee meets
 Species Subcommittee meets with TRAC
 Board reviews draft
 Board approves draft in rule form
 Rule posted for two week comment period
 Board reviews comments
 Rule filed with JCARR
 JCARR required public hearings

15. JCARR Rule Making Process
ORC 119
 Whenever the Board has completed its work on a given
standard:
 ODA must hold a public hearing on that rule
 Open to anyone who wishes to testify concerning the
implementation of the rule
 Next step is another public hearing before JCARR
 Ten members of the General Assembly, five from each
house

16. 901:12
Ohio’s Livestock Care Standards
 901:12-1 Euthanasia
 901:12-2 Civil Penalties
 901:12-3 General Considerations for the Care and
Welfare of Livestock
 901:12-4 Disabled and Distressed Livestock
 901:12-5 Bovine - Veal
 901:12-6 Bovine - Dairy
 901:12-7 Bovine - Beef

17. 901:12
Ohio’s Livestock Care Standards
 901:12-8 Porcine - Swine
 901:12-9 Poultry - Layers
 901:12-10 Poultry – Broilers/Broiler Breeders
 901:12-11 Poultry – Turkey/Turkey Breeders
 901:12-12 Ovine - Sheep
 901:12-13 Caprine - Goat
 901:12-14 Llamas and Alpacas
 901:12-15 Equine

18. Communication and Outreach
 Ohio Livestock Care Standards

19. Existing Facility - Swine
 An “existing facility” means all buildings or
structures that currently house swine utilizing any
housing system as of September 29, 2011.

20. Swine Housing - Transition
 Ohio’s livestock care standards require that anyone
raising swine in the state of Ohio transition to
employing group housing methods for pregnant sows
(after they are confirmed pregnant) by the end of
the year 2025.

21. Swine Housing - Transition
 Breeding/gestation stalls can be used in all existing
facilities until December 31, 2025
 Beginning January 1, 2026, breeding/gestation stalls
can only be used post-weaning to:
 Maximize embryonic welfare
 Allow for the confirmation of pregnancy