Ohio Liberty Council

by Clint Zeigler, Ohio Freedom Alliance

If you, like me, have been searching for information about the newly established Livestock Care Standards Board you may be in for a wait.  In a recent interview with Robert Boggs, the Chairman of this board (and currently the only member), he stated that the implementing legislation would hopefully begin before the first of the year.  A legislative insider responded with doubts that much would happen soon, since the governor and lawmakers are trying to fill the large hole in the current state budget.

Many questions are still unanswered as to how this board will operate, who will serve, how long their terms will be, the limits of the board’s authority (the article mentioned that horses and fish may be included), what constitutes a “family farm”, and how the board will implement food safety regulations.

After the members are appointed and the implementing legislation is decreed, the board will begin public hearings.  Boggs mentioned that there would be lots of hearings (possibly 6 months worth) to decide the necessary standards to be approved by the board.

The insider stated that most likely these hearings won’t begin until March or April.

Those who have livestock must be active in these hearings to ensure that their right to own and raise livestock is not diminished in any way.  Certainly the HSUS will have representatives at each hearing, as well as the large corporate farms. The small farmer’s voice must be present to keep Amish, organic, and other small farm operations from being stepped on.  We need freedom loving volunteers to speak before this board to ensure that any standards that they impose will be fair and Constitutional.

For now we patiently wait, and care for our livestock just as we have for the past many years, without someone from the state holding our hand, and commanding our livestock care practices.