State Veterinarian Talks New Livestock Care Standards

New regulations go into affect Wednesday that will impact area farmers.

A meeting was held Tuesday evening at the OU-Z Campus Center by the State’s Department of Agriculture on new regulations for livestock.

The new regulations stem from Issue 2 passing in November 2009 which allowed the state to set animal care standards for farmers and now those standards are about to go into effect.

"One chapter is on general consideration which covers all species, housing, management, transportation, euthanasia and those sorts of general considerations that need to be involved across the board and then we split out the species and anything particular to that species is under those chapters," said State Veterinarian Dr. Tony Forshey.

 One of the big concerns among many across the state has been the enforcement of the new standards and regulations. But Dr. Forshey doesn’t see it as a problem.

"I’ve got four veterinarians and eight livestock inspectors scattered around the state and so when there is a complaint, a legitimate complaint, we’re not going to waste taxpayer dollars on complaints that people don’t tell us who they are or their phone numbers so we can report back to them. They will go out and investigate an issue on animal care if some of the care standards are being violated," said Forshey.

Dr. Forshey adds the new regulations are not meant to hurt Ohio farmers, but just provide them with a common sense approach to managing their livestock. For more information on the new regulations, which go into effect Wednesday, you can visit their web site www.ohiolivestockcarestandards.gov/materials.