Ohio and Issue 2~poll results are coming in, for now, 2 is passing

[Quail_Antwerp]

There's a thread on BYC about this, but I don't think we've discussed it here.

I am so dead set against the Issue 2. My gut instinct is telling me it's bad bad bad news.

We're so against issue 2, that we decided today that if it passes, we will move out of Ohio and not come back.

I don't want anyone, not the governor, not an agriculture board, not anyone, to be able to tell me what kind of housing or fencing or feed or anything that I should be doing for my animals.

I'm so thoroughly upset, I'm sick. No kidding.

Everyone seems to feel we really need to pass this to "secure Ohio's Farms" yet no one seems to realize that we can vote against anyone from having control.

This is my home my property my right to pursuit of happiness, and no one in the goverment or in a government appointed board should have any rights to come here and tell me how to run things.

Here's what I've posted on the BYC thread. I'm heading to bed. I'll see what ya'll think in the morning.

You know, as WE THE PEOPLE, we can vote NO for everything.

Even if out of state groups try to pass legislations controlling Ohio agriculture, we have the right to vote against them, too.

The government cannot have control of anything if we don't give it to them.

Here is the list of who will serve on the Board.

The Director of the Ohio Department of Agriculture
Three family farmers (Why only THREE farmers?!)
Two veterinarians (one of whom is the state veterinarian),
A food safety expert
A representative of a local humane society
Two members representing statewide farm organizations
The dean of an Ohio agriculture college
Two members representing Ohio consumers

Why should there be any Humane Society Rep on the board? Give that spot to another Farmer...or six.

We don't want the Humane Society to have any say IMO regarding livestock/farming issues. Period.

If they take the Humane Society Rep off, they'd have my vote. Otherwise, I'll be voting NO to everything every time.

Local, State, or National.

BTW, all members of the board will be appointed by the governor....if we have to have this board, then I think they should be chosen by the people who will be affected by the board.

Has it occurred to anyone that most of the farmers in support of Issue 2 are the big business farmers that already have money and raise a lot of food per year? I see issue 2 hurting the small hobby farmers more than anything.

If they come and inspect my farm, where I'm raising about 60 chickens, 2 calves, 1 Alpaca, and 14 rabbits, and they say my set up isn't up to their standards, they will me shut me down. I won't have the money to "upgrade" and if Issue 2 passes, the board can get a ruling against anyone who doesn't meet their "standards" to no longer own animals...ever.

My husband and I feel like this "board" is a form of "CPS" for farms.

I kind of got flamed over there by another member for my posts, so I'm not participating in the thread there anymore.

I'm really afraid that I'll not be able to run my small farm the way I want to. I'm really worried that if this passes, it's going to make it hard for low income farmers to survive.

I also see it as a pre-cursor to them telling us how many of what kinds of animals we can have, or even the start of NAIS.

Like I said, if they pass this, we're moving. If we don't move, ya'll will find out how fast I quit talking about my farm.


eta: link http://www.safelocalohiofood.org/?gclid=CKPjiZKvyZ0CFSENDQodDmMxrQ

 

[Blackbird]

I can see where your concerned..

But whats wrong with the Humane Society?

 

[freemotion]

Um, they are against animals being used for food or being bred. OK for stray cats and dogs, not so useful for livestock.

 

[Blackbird]

Ok, thanks for informing me then! The Humane Society here handles a wide variety of animals. I thought it went into the welfare of animals and treatment and such.. Sorry!

 

[freemotion]

Don't get me wrong, they do a lot of good, but at least in some areas, the people running some of the places have no clue about farm animals. They tend to make them impossible to adopt by placing restrictions on them....they basically have to become pets. They don't seem to understand that it is a rare two-year-old rooster that will make a good pet. Broth, yes, pet, no.

 

[SKR8PN]

I will be voting NO on issue 2 AND on issue 3.
I also think we need a new governor.

 

[FarmerChick]

I would think this would be voted NO.

Quail, this is for farms selling to the public. With an "earned income" being reported as a farm and functioning as a true business right?

They wouldn't just come to a persons home that just raises chickens and sells some at auctions etc. right? They can't come and say your 3 goats are fenced improper to just any person?

just wondering. I don't know of Issue 2 being down here in NC.

I don't like the sound of it all, but I just don't know the issue.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

It's for ALL farms, no matter their scale size, FC. They will expect large corperation farms and small hobby farms to follow any "laws" the board will pass. The bill even gives the board freedome to "pass any future laws related to farming". It's like giving this board a blank check if we pass issue 2.

We already have a Department of Agriculture.

I do report any income we earn on our farm, small as it is. We do sell at the auctions, plus I raise and sell chicks in the spring. I'm not getting rich, but I do make enough that I have to report it.

Locally here, the humane society confiscated some horses that the owner wasn't taking care of. The Humane Society needs to step off where Farming is concerned.

SKR8PN, I need to read up on Issue 3, hadn't heard about that one yet, and I agree on the new governor!

 

[PamsPride]

My DH says he sees signs everywhere that the Farm Bureau is for Issue 2.
I am TOTALLY against ANYONE coming to my house to check out my chickens/animals! I am sure you will have nibby nosy neighbors turning people in left and right for chickens and such if a rooster is crowing or to just plain be spiteful....which I can see my neighbor doing!
Issue 3??

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Issue 3 is for the casinos. I just googled.

I'm voting no for that, too!

Pam, you're right! That's exactly how it will be. People who don't like your animals will be complaining to the board and you'll constantly be investigated.

Right now housing for livestock animals is pretty laid back. You don't have to have a fancy barn, you just need a 3 sided shelter with a roof to allow them relief from the elements.

I can see them totally making more stringent regulations regarding housing. Worse, what happens when they come in and start telling us we have to vaccinate our birds/cattle/sheep/pigs/horses/alpacas/lamas/etc.

This board isn't just for Animal husbandry, either, it's for ALL types of farming, right down to growing food in the ground.

Can you see the Humane Society trying to make us all sneuter our rabbits and large livestock?! or Caponizing our roos!