According to the enabling legislation:

Sec. 904.03. (A) The Ohio livestock care standards board shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119 of the Revised Code governing the care and well-being of livestock in this state. In adopting those rules, the board shall consider the following factors:

(1) Best management practices for the care and well-being of  

      livestock;

(2) Biosecurity;

(3) The prevention of disease;

(4) Animal morbidity and mortality data;

(5) Food safety practices;

(6) The protection of local, affordable food supplies for consumers;

(7) Generally accepted veterinary medical practices, livestock

      practice standards, and ethical standards established by the

      American veterinary medical association;

(8) Any other factors that the board considers necessary for the

     proper care and well-being of livestock in this state.

Board members               Position                                Term ending

Stacey Atherton               FamilyFarmer                       Jan. 25, 2011

Robert Boggs                   Chairman                             Ex-officio

Robert Cole                      Consumer                            Jan. 15, 2013

Harold Dates                    County Humane Society       Jan. 15, 2012

Dr. Tony Forshey              State Veterinarian                Ex-officio

Lisa Hamler-Fugitt             Consumer                           Jan. 25, 2011

Dr. Jerry Lahmers              Statewide Farm                   Jan. 15, 2012

                                       Organization Representative

Dr. Jeffrey LeJeune            Food Safety Expert              Jan. 15, 2012

Dominic Marchese             Family Farmer                     Jan. 15, 2012

J. William Moody               Family Farmer                     Jan. 15, 2013

Dr. Bobby Moser               Dean of Agriculture               Jan. 25, 2011

                                        College

Dr. Leon Weaver               Licensed Veterinarian            Jan. 25, 2011

Jeff Wuebker                    Statewide Farm                     Jan. 15, 2013

                                       Organization Representative

While the board is required to hold at least three regular meetings each year, it may hold additional meetings at times that the chairman or a majority of the board members considers appropriate.  

For a list of the board’s meeting dates and notifications, click here.

The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board is committed to hearing from Ohio’s citizens throughout the process of creating standards of livestock care. Transparency and accountability will be ensured through several ways.

Regional Public Listening Sessions

After its first organizational meeting, the board conducted listening sessions in six regions of the state to allow Ohioans the opportunity to provide input to the board and to educate the board members and public on the various factors the board needs to consider as it begins to establish standards of livestock care.

Open Meetings Throughout

All meetings of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, and its subcommittees, are subject to Ohio’s Open Records and Open Meetings laws, known as the “Sunshine Laws,” requiring every meeting to be open to the public. For notices of these meetings, click here.

Public comment at board meetings
During each board meeting, the public have an opportunity to provide comments to the board.

JCARR Public Hearings

Whenever the board proposes specific standards of care, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) rule making process will be utilized. When a rule is proposed, the department will be required to hold a public hearing on that rule. This will be open to anyone who wishes to testify concerning the implementation of the rule.  

The next phase of the rule implementation process is another public hearing before JCARR, which is comprised of ten members of the General Assembly, five from each house. This hearing provides an additional opportunity for the public and legislators to ask questions and voice an opinion or concern.

You can e-mail your comments to the board at:

livestockstandardsboard@agri.ohio.gov

Or mail comments to:

Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board

Ohio Department of Agriculture

8995 E. Main St.

Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

For the purposes of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board, and any standards which it creates, livestock is defined as:

(A) Equine animals regardless of the purpose for which they are raised;

(B) Any of the following animals that are raised for human food products or fiber:

(1) Porcine animals;

(2) Bovine animals;

(3) Caprine animals;

(4) Ovine animals;

(5) Poultry;

(6) Alpacas; 

(7) Llamas;