Legislation: OHIO Livestock Care Standards Board

[Ms. Research]

The goat people complained about a lot of what was written when it was a draft. Possibly the swine and veal people didn't make their disagreements known when they were offering a period of time to dispute the draft. I don't know. I just know that I made my opinions known to the care standard board.

I am betting they just came down on them harder because there is more of an industry in hogs and veal, but I could be wrong, I know there are some very big goat farms in ohio also. I know there have been alot of complaints and talk for several years now, about coming down on the large hog farms, because of crate size and the gestating sows standing in crates almost their entire lives. the piglets and growing market hogs are normally housed in lot situations or large pens, compared to the sows, even the breeding males would have a pen to walk around in so they have room to breed when a sow is taken to them. as far as being humane goes, it probably is better for the animal to have more room, alot of the sows need piglets pulled out of them. They don't have the muscle strength to deliver a large litter of piglets, they are out of shape, giving them more room would help with this. But I am sure rebuilding structures and changing onse management practices isn't going to be easy,

As far as set-aside land goes, and not paying farmers to grow things, that has been going on for years to help regulate the price of large farm crops such as corn. Not saying wether I think that is right or not, just saying set-aside land has been in practice for decades.

My concern about the practice of set-aside land, which I knew of and am glad you brought up, is that with the climate of regulation and food control that the Federal Government is examining, I'm afraid that the farmers will not have any say at all of what will be done with this land that has been help by the Federal, State or county Government. Right now Camden County has an Open Space Tax that they are using to buy farm land to preserve. Nice thought, but that nice thought can change at the whim of any Government in charge. I'm afraid that this program started to help the farmers, which I am all for because you do supply the food, will not get the benefit of financial aid to NOT plant or breed to help the US economy, but will be told what to do or even told someone else will run that farm of the Federal. State or County government's choosing. I've seen good intentions turn to ugly ones, if you don't watch. I truly think it's time to watch this good intention.

 

[kstaven]

Take this and couple it with something like that new white house rural council managing it and what do you get?

 

[elevan]

Just a reminder to all Ohioans that this is now in effect and has been since Sept. If you don't know about it then you should read up.