12.20.2010 Update:

The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Boardhas continued a rigorous schedule through the fall months. The board continues to deliberate on standards for the handling of disabled livestock and veal, will begin discussions on care standards for swine and layers.

The proposed euthanasia standards and civil penalty rules are in the midst of the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) rule-making process. On Dec. 9, the public hearing for these proposed standards and rules took place at the Ohio Department of Agriculture. The comments received at the hearing have been forwarded onto JCARR in preparation for the hearing schedule to take place Dec. 22 at the Statehouse.

The board will resume its biweekly meetings Jan. 4, 2011.

The Technical Research Advisory Committee (TRAC) and species subcommittees continue to work together to provide recommendations to the board. The TRAC has met with the Swine and Layer Subcommittees to discuss recommended draft care standards.

The following subcommittees are currently meeting at the Ohio Department of Agriculture to discuss recommendations for their species-specific standards of care: Dairy Subcommittee, Sheep Subcommittee, Goat Subcommittee, Beef Subcommittee, Turkey Subcommittee and Broiler Subcommittee. The Alpaca and Llama Subcommittee and Equine Subcommittee will meet in January.

All meetings are open to the public and have time set aside for public comment. Please see the Meeting Notice page for upcoming meetings.

10.12.2010 Update:

The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board unanimously voted on standards of euthanasia. These proposed standards will now move to the E notification and Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) to being the rule-making process. The board is continuing its deliberations on civil penalty rules. The board will also continue working on draft standards of non-ambulatory livestock, veal and swine.

On Oct. 7, eight board members went on a farm tour in western Ohio. The board members saw a poultry, dairy and organic beef operation. This is the second farm tour board members have taken; on the first farm tour, members visited a swine and veal operation and a meat processing plant.

The Technical Research Advisory Committee (TRAC) is completing work on draft non-ambulatory livestock standards. The committee has been meeting with the Veal Subcommittee to complete their recommendations and drafting of veal care standards.

The species subcommittees reviewed the draft non-ambulatory animal care standards and provided comment on their specific sections. The veal subcommittee has been meeting with the TRAC and swine, beef, layer and dairy subcommittees have met at the Ohio Department of Agriculture to discuss recommendations for their species-specific standards of care.

All meetings are open to the public and have time set aside for public comment. Please see the Meeting Notice page for upcoming meetings.

9.3.2010 Update:

The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board has been hard at work since their listening sessions in May. In July, members of the board attended a farm tour visiting a new swine farm with group housing, a veal farm with group housing and a meat processing plant. This opportunity allowed board members to see first-hand how these operations run. Currently, the board is completing work on draft standards of euthanasia and standards for non-ambulatory livestock.

The Technical Research Advisory Committee (TRAC) has been compiling research to complete the draft euthanasia standards. They have also begun work on draft non-ambulatory livestock standards, veal care standards and swine care standards.

The species subcommittees reviewed the draft euthanasia standards and provided comment on their specific sections. The veal subcommittee and swine subcommittee have met several times at the Ohio Department of Agriculture to discuss recommendations for their species-specific standards of care.

All meetings are open to the public and have time set aside for public comment. Please see the Meeting Notice page for upcoming meetings.