Hello Everyone:

Issue 2 has raised many concerns about the humane care of animals and the safety of food in our food system and whether the issue warrants a change to our constitution.

 Here's what the issue seeks to do:

• Issue 2 would add the The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board into Section 1, Article XIV, of the Ohio Constitution. (Create a constitutional amendment) The measure would not establish specific rules or standards. 
• The 13-member board would be headed by the state agriculture director. Ten members would be appointed by the governor: a family farmer, a food-safety expert, two statewide farming organization representatives, a licensed veterinarian, the state agricultural veterinarian, a college or university agricultural dean, two consumers and a county humane-society representative. The speaker of the Ohio House and president of the Ohio Senate would each appoint a family farmer. (No more than seven members could be of the same political party.)
• The panel would have "exclusive authority to set standards governing the care and wellbeing of livestock in this state." It must consider bio-security and food-safety practices, disease prevention, animal morbidity and protection of local, affordable food supplies. The Department of Agriculture would administer rules set by the board.
• The General Assembly would pass enabling laws setting terms of office for board members and enacting laws "that it deems necessary" to carry out the amendment.
• The members would not be paid but they could receive reimbursement for daily expenses. The Office of Budget and Management estimated a $176,703 cost to operate the board in the first year and $162,280 annually thereafter. Most of the expense would be salaries for a director and small staff.
• The only way that the board could be eliminated is by another constitutional amendment.

Local Matters concurs with the League of Women Voters recommendation on Issue 2 and suggests a vote of "NO":

Passage of Issue 2 would amend the Ohio Constitution to create the Ohio Livestock Standards Board and set forth its composition and duties. The LWV-Ohio board voted to OPPOSE passage of this issue because the amendment contains too much specificity to be in the Ohio Constitution. The League's opposition is based on its state position that the Ohio Constitution should be a clearly stated body of fundamental principles.

Local Matters strives to work with partners such as the Farm Bureau and the Humane Society to improve the quality of life of all in our communities, including animals and plants. In the case of Issue 2, in addition to our belief there is no necessity for an amendment to the Ohio Constitution, we respectfully disagree with the Farm Bureau and the Humane Society of the United States regarding the use of propaganda to win supporters.  The propaganda from both groups is unnecessary and damaging to honest dialogue crucial for solving issues related to livestock care.  

While Local Matters recommends a "VOTE NO" on Issue 2, we also request that our members contact both groups and urge them to invite other interested parties to the table and together, find a civil way to resolve their differences and put forth a rational plan to the public for food safety and animal welfare in our local food system.

To illustrate our point, we thought our readers might find it interesting to see the amounts of money that have been spent by those who are pushing for the passage of Issue 2 and those who are against Issue 2. 

• For Issue 2 (Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Pork Producers Council, Ohio Cattleman's Association and the Ohio Poultry Association, and others):  Over $4 million dollars to date ($1.2 million from outside Ohio)
• Against Issue 2 (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, Food and Water Watch, Ohio Farmers Union and Local Matters, among others): Less than $10,000.00

Contact:

The Humane Society of theUnited States
2100 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
202-452-1100

Ohio Farm Bureau Federation
280 Plaza, 6th floor
Columbus, OH 43215
Phone: (614) 249-2400
Fax: (614) 249-2200

For more information on Issue 2:

http://www.ohioact.org

http://www.safelocalohiofood.org

local-matters.org