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The Nov. 3 election is approaching amid a flurry of controversy about Issue 2, a proposed amendment to the Ohio constitution that would create a Livestock Care Standards board (OLCSB).
Issue 2, which has the support of Gov. Ted Strickland, Ohio state Senate President Bill Harris (R-Ashland) and state House Speaker Armond Budish (D-Beachwood), was placed on the ballot by the Ohio legislature after animal-welfare groups and Ohio agriculture groups failed to reach a negotiated settlement regarding livestock care.
Ballot initiatives in California, Arizona and Florida and legislative actions in Maine, Colorado, Oregon and Michigan have produced laws that require permanent enclosures for certain farm animals to be large enough for the animals to lie down, stand up, turn around and extend their limbs. Issue 2 seeks to prevent or forestall the enactment of such a law in Ohio by creating the OLCSB, an alternative means of regulating animal care.
The Ohio Farm Bureau (OFB), the Ohio Livestock Coalition, the Ohio Pork Producers Council, the Ohio Association of Meat Processors and other agricultural and manufacturing groups support issue 2. Opposition to Issue 2 includes the Ohio Farmers Union (OFU), the Ohio Ecological Food and Farming Association, the Ohio Sierra Club and the Humane Society of the United States.
Roger Wise, president of the OFU, said Issue 2 represents a rare divergence of opinions for the OFU and OFB.
"On most issues, we and the OFB have agreement," Wise said. "There difference here is who we represent. We, the OFU, represent family farmers in the traditional sense. We are not nearly as big as the OFB, and they have a lot more (agribusiness) interests, which creates a philosophical difference on this issue."
The proposed constitutional amendment states the OLCSB would consist of 13 Ohio residents, such as "representatives of Ohio family farms, farming organizations, food safety experts, veterinarians, consumers, the dean of the agriculture department at an Ohio college or university and a county humane society representative." The governor would appoint most members of the board.
According to Paul Shapiro, a Humane Society spokesperson, the board would come to be dominated by agribusiness interests.
"Issue 2 is designed to give the appearance of regulation, when it is essentially allowing the foxes to guard the henhouse," Shapiro said. "It would allow an industry-dominated council to dictate the rules for (animal care) in Ohio."
Larry Slocum, manager of the Oxford Farmers Market, said Issue 2 would create "too much power consolidated in too few hands."
Ray Arlinghaus of Lori Ridge Farm in Hamilton is a vendor at the Oxford Farmers Market and a member of the OFB. Arlinghaus said he supports Issue 2 because he does not want national groups such as the Humane Society to dictate Ohio agricultural policy.
"I strongly believe that the agenda regarding animal care and food safety should be set by Ohioans," Arlinghaus said.
Arlinghaus said the Humane Soceity has campaigned for ballot initiatives in other states "very unfairly," relying on "an emotional approach."
Wise said national agribusiness interests have joined the campaign supporting Issue 2.
"The supporters talk about keeping this local and keeping this in Ohio, but national producer groups have thrown in their support," Wise said.
Wise said the OFU objects to the manner in which Issue 2 seeks to regulate agriculture and the methods used to place it on the ballot.
"The (state) constitution is not the document for this to be enshrined in … this thing went through the legislature at lightning speed," Wise said. "There was no debate, no opportunity for dialogue."
According to Wise, the OFU would like to have seen a negotiated settlement between animal rights advocates and the livestock industry.
Shapiro said the Humane Society and the Michigan Farm Bureau successfully negotiated and jointly authored a bill to enact reform to livestock care standards. According to Shapiro, the Humane Society approached the OFB to negotiate but was rebuffed.
"The (OFB) refused even to sit down and talk and instead went to its friends in the legislature and in a matter of days had them (push it through)," Shapiro said.
Dale Filbrun, a vendor at the Oxford Farmers Market from Morning Sun Farms in West Alexandria, said he is still undecided about Issue 2.
Filbrun said Issue 2 may "just help the big guys and hurt us," but added that he opposes the efforts of groups such as the Humane Soceity and PETA, which he feels "ultimately want to get rid of livestock on all farms." Morning Sun Farms has been certified organic for nearly two decades. It produces beef, chicken, lamb, pork, turkey and eggs and grazes its animals on grass in relatively open spaces.
"Family farmers understand that good care of animals is in their interest as well," Wise said.
