Ohio is up to bat on Issue 2

Counting evry person in Ohio that handles food in any way, i.e. supermarket employees and restaurant workers is hardly an indication of the contribution of agriculture to the state’s coffers. Be real Pamela, look up the statistics of the contribution. If I am not mistaken it falls in the 6% of the states intake. Perhaps with more family farms going out of business, it is less now. Do your own research on this issue it might enlighten you as it did me when I researched this issue.

Be Real mary, First before i would debate the issue with you i would of course want you to be able to spell “Every” Right since you didnt in your last post. Very important People, VOTE YES ON 2

Brian,

There is no need to belittle Mary for a minor spelling error, especially considering that your own post is riddled with so many errors that it makes you appear to be barely literate. The one error you managed to catch is only the tip of the iceberg.

I looked at a satellite view of Park Farms and how it is situated relative to Mary’s house and, assuming Mary tells the truth concerning her being there before those chicken barns were built, then I’d have to side with her and conclude that our government failed her and allowed Park Farms to build their factory farm where it shouldn’t.

Secondly, if Issue 2 passes, it sounds to me as though Ohioans will lose the power to decide for themselves what constitutes humane treatment of farm animals. Instead, that power will be given to just 13 people.

The HSUS will NOT have the power to dictate to Ohioans what treatment is humane or not. All they can do is try to persuade Ohians that a certain method is inhumane so that it is voted as such. At the same time, the Farm Bureau is free to do the same.

Tod

On the animal rights issues: Never give up. Never give in. You can not negotiate with animal rights. They use the approach of increments. First a little push then later more. Their goal is the end of all animal agriculture.

Animal rights groups use PR really well. They make up new words and plant them in the culture, such as “puppy mill”, “back yard breeder”, “hoarder”, “factory farms” and the newest one ” vanity breeder”. This war can be lost without education and PR.

We must develop our own powerful PR. This can be think tanked with other like minded folks for pennies. You don’t have to match the HSUS’s budget.

The war is being fought in press, radio, TV, cartoons for kids, coloring books, schools, etc. We must find our voices and our own powerful messages or the only voice that will be heard is that of animal rights.

Learn from the dog folks who discovered you can’t give an inch. You Ohio residents are tough old birds and hard to chew. You can fight harder and longer than those vegan sissies. Kick em hard in the back side and send em back to NYC or CA. My money is on Ohio’s farmers.

Thanks Tod, you really don’t expect these folks to look at a satellite photo of my home do you, it might enlighten them and that is not what FB would want their members to do. We moved to this home in 1976 from Wisconsin, a real dairy state, where laws were enforced. I knew the property across from me should have been protected under the CWA but failed to know about the politics in Ohio and the power of FB. Nor, was I aware that all FB members are not creaated equal. I assumed as a member, my personal property rights were protected. Park Farms was protected not my property. So I welcome the HSUS into this affray as FB has shown it lacks moral integrity, in my opinion. Thanks for recognizing my problems and not allow this person, undoubtedly an employee of Park Farms to belittle this senior citizen.

I just haven’t heard any other ideas other than Issue 2. It does make some sense and something has to be done. What solutions do you have?

Yes Tod and mary, if not Issue 2 what do you suggest, i am actually kind of intrested?

Vote YES on Issue 2. Let Ohio farmers control how animals are raised. Voting no will only increase the cost of food. Voting yes will put qualified experienced farmers in charge of keeping our animals healthy and safe. We do not need activists running how food is made in this state and country. It is hard enough for farmers to make a buck now days…dont add to the cost – VOTE YES!!!!

A few thoughts …
1) Let’s not fight about spelling or typos. That is not the issue.

2) Issue 2 is not a “like Farm Bureau” or “don’t like Farm Bureau” issue. I don’t blame some people for not agreeing with Farm Bureau on some issues. Please don’t vote against Issue 2 because you don’t like the Farm Bureau. That will not help Ohio’s farmers.

3) HSUS will word a ballot issue so that it passes very easily. Then they will be telling Ohio’s farmers how to farm. A panel of agriculture people sounds better than that. Michigan already caved in to HSUS pressure and has enacted their own bans. Hopefully, we can avoid that.

4) HSUS wants to stop all animal agriculture, whether you raise 100,000 chickens or 10.

5) Issue 2 may not be perfect, but so far, it seems to be the only alternative to fighting off a HSUS ballot initiative.

6) No matter what numbers you feel should describe Ohio’s agriculture industry, agriculture is still important in Ohio. Agricultural products are about the one commodity that the U.S. exports more than we import. I hate to see anything hurt that. If we economically drive out Ohio and U.S. farmers, we will have to imprort the product with little health or humane controls.

Hope this helps.

I would suggest that farmers reach out to their community and educate them about farm life by participating in the annual farm “drive-it-yourself” tours that some (if not all) counties have.

If your county doesn’t have one, get one going. Work towards an educated public. So many people these days are so out of touch with where their food comes from, anything you can do to involve and educate them is a good thing.

My dad was for many years the district conservationist in Richland County and he started such a tour in that county for that very purpose.

If your farm creates something that members of the community can take a personal interest in and even have a stake in, then all the better.

Work to create markets for the things your farm produces that are more of a direct connection to the end consumer. They know where their food is coming from and how it is raised and will place more of a premium on it.

In turn, the effort put into generating goodwill and a relationship with the end customers will help protect you against misguided campaigns by out-of-state groups.

Why surrender your freedom by voting to create yet another government bureacracy? Not interested in creating a relationship with the public? Not comfortable with letting the public see how you run your operation? Why?

******

Maggie B: you decry the use of the term “Puppy Mill”. Watch this video of an Ohio puppy mill, including the part where a dog is rescued who’s ear flap is swollen with puss which runs out of an open wound when the ear flap is lifted. Can you honestly say that that isn’t animal abuse to let an infection go untreated for so long?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLnm3qpp8CM

I would also suggest that the modern farm would do well to take advantage of technology by creating web pages that help to introduce the public to the farm and maintaining a blog, perhaps installing some farm web cams, and inviting the public to participate in some small way in “life on the farm”.

Of course, nowadays the big buzz word is “biosecurity”, so it might actually take a little thought about how to include the public without creating a special hazard.

If the meat or milk or eggs or whatever is marketed locally, then you avoid the large packing plants which are in the news from time to time because of this or that e. coli issue. Funny, but I’ve never heard of my small local slaugherhouses ever making the news for those problems.

Sometimes, bigger is NOT better.

Tod

Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is not your local humane societies that actually take in dogs and cats and work to find them homes. HSUS is a national animal rights organization that spent almost $4 million in California to get THEIR idea of “humane” started. They solicit donations and at times not very ethically. The name association is only one that is mistakenly thought of as what we see in our counties. Another way is what they had posted on their website about the Michael Vick dogs- asking for donations for their care even though they did not have ANY of those dogs in their care and they recommended killing them all. THIS IS WHO WANTS TO TELL OUR STATE OWNERS HOW TO CARE FOR THEIR ANIMALS, an out of state national animal rights organization who’s idea of “humane” is vegan or vegetarian lifestyles even sporting recipes and “help” with living a more “humane” lifestyle. Rights of ownership are being removed at every chance they get everywhere. People already have a choice, freedom to buy ‘free range eggs’, raise their own or even be vegan. If the products are being sold there must be someone buying them as no company supplies what it isn’t being bought so obviously most choose the what HSUS is against. Ohioans do not have $4 million to fight this fight every year so a constitutional ammendment is needed to stop a special interest animal rights organization from dictating OUR ownership and use. Big Ag is not the issue as claimed nor is a “power grab” by the Farm Bureau. The POWER GRAB is trying to be stopped- HSUS’s power grab. Check info out for yourself, quotes made by HSUS’s CEO Wayne Pacelle (vegan) and J. P. Goodwin, one of their top people, an ex- ALF member that has been convicted of arson “turning captive animals loose”. I am not for government control of our lives but a committee of volunteers, only paid employees would be 2 for office/administration is a much better use of money (lots of it!)and time than fighting a group with seemingly unlimited funds from donations every year. Read the fiscal impact of Issue 2 passing for yourself on the state legislation website. It doesn’t even come close to what HSUS spent furthering their agenda in California.

Tod- supposed ‘puppy mill’ video- maybe you can explain here why the Ohio Revised code was not used to remedy this situation. There are abuse NEGLECT and cruelty laws. Also explain why a ‘rescue’ person testified at the recent hearing in an odd way to a question she was asked by a Representative. Did she turn any of these ‘problems’ in? No, becaus ethey needed to have a good relationship with the breeders to get dogs out. Huh??? I was there for the whole hearing, this video was shown. But hey, if someone REALLY neglects a dog lets not turn them in? Warped agenda all the way around in my opinion.

Amy,

I don’t know that the ORC wasn’t used to remedy the situation. If you know that it wasn’t, would you please cite your source?

I received an e-mail today from Columbus Dog Connection that claims that the principal man in the video (who has been convicted of animal abuse in Virginia) has opened a kennel in Coshocton County and that the local humane agent is currently investigating reports of abuse.

As to being able to offer an explanation about an un-named rescue person’s behavior and testimony, you would need to give me a hint as to who and what you are talking about first, and then, if I weren’t familiar with the situation (which I likely am not), I would have to say that I don’t have an explanation.

Rescue groups frequently complain that Ohio has some of the most lax laws with regards to animal welfare, especially with regards to USDA licensing and their inability to effect change. As I have never made a study of other state’s laws, I couldn’t comment.

Tod

Amy, perhaps you can answer this question:

Can the Ohio Revised Code be applied to a USDA federally licensed kennel?

or, to re-phrase it:

Which code is applicable to a federally licensed dog kennel, the ORC or the AWA?

Thanks,

Tod

My inderstanding is both. Seems you answered that yourself if a local humane society is investigating the relocated breeder. A state can make laws more restrictive than federal but not less. A county, city can make laws more restrictive than state laws but not less.
Christine L- a guess on correct spelling from my notes. Executive Director ?Puppymill rescue, Holmes, Coshocton,Tuscawaras counties. Rep. Pryor asked about court cases, her reply was no, no abuse cases. Rep. Hall asked about “adoption fee” and she replied $200. Rep. Balderson asked if the law or USDA were gotten involved and that’s when she replied about not ratting them out to keep a good relationship with the breeders so they could get puppies out. Kinda like HSUS asking for donations for Vick’s dogs while not having custody of them- makes no logical sense, more about a feel good/donation getter. Adoption fee? Sounds like selling from a 501(c)3 to me and they keep going back to get more to sell! Sure Kellie from Columbus Dog Connection can tell you more, she stood with her. Video was shown for shock value, an HSUS tactic also. Find one gross incident and portray it as ALL.

And if the ORC was used why would they be pushing for HSUS supported bills when we already have laws against cruelty, abuse and neglect?
The Livestock Board is PROACTIVE against HSUS tactics. HSUS has a lot of $$ (Ohioans don’t because most work for a living rather than rely on donations )to produce those shock value videos even if they have to stage things themselves. As long as it gets the attention (and donations) of unknowing and unsuspecting voters who cares eh? Maybe it’s rescues and animal activists that need to police themselves.

I cannot believe you people arguing over livestock or whatever when issue 2 makes us forfeit our input into legislation by forming a “board” with no appeal and no oversight. This is wrong for ANY industry…almost communism. Farming should be NO exception. Don’t you worry about the demise of Democracy? Issue 2 is wrong wrong wrong…no matter how much you want to “protect” agriculture. If you think HSUS is a threat then deal with it then. Don’t you worry that another special interest with enough money will want to insert itself into our constitution? GEEZ!

Issue 2 is funded by the Farm Bureau. Don’t talk about HSUS monies when FB is pouring 7 million dollares into issue 2….to protect factory farms.There is a bait and switch going on here by the FB and we all lose. SAD!

Ohio Issue 2 is nothing short of “Corporate Communism” or what George Orwell called “Oligarchical Collectivism.” The Ohio Farm Bureau and other lobbyist seek control by making up proceived threats and instilling fear. Often, unwarranted fear.
“The oligarchs are the lords of the earth. Everything exists for their benefit.
The ordinary people, the workers – are their slaves.” ~ 1984 http://www.orwelltoday.com/redriding.shtml

Dylan Ratigan describes “Corporate Communism as:

“…a system that takes resources from the citizenry and redistributes it to a tiny elite….a handful of weak, uncompetitive and outdated corporations and industries are purchasing control of the American political process in order to stay in business using their cronyism. It is coming at the direct expense of the rest of us, and is a total betrayal of everything that represents America.”

The former host of the business channel CNBC spares no punches either in this article at the Huffington Post.

It is an interesting idea, somewhat reminiscent of the idea in economist James K. Galbraith’s book The Predator State, which developed on more ideological lines. Galbraith related to Thomas Frank in the Wall Street Journal:

“The ‘predator state’ describes what happens when chicken coops are given over to foxes,” Mr. Galbraith continued. “When consumer protection, worker protection, environmental protection, and policing against fraud are handed over to lobbyists…”

First of all, farmers do take good care of their livestock, and if the HSUS gets their way, the veal, pork and eggs being produced in Ohio will move to another state, and thousands of jobs will be lost, the HSUS does not care about people losing their jobs, they keep finding things to go on a crusade about to justify their existence, they have nothing to lose, they will any tactic they can to get their way, the HSUS is an emotion based fanatic group that we do not need in Ohio!