Issue 2 would decide who regulates animal care in Ohio's bigges...

As a student in Animal Sciences, I commend Ohio's fast response to the ever threatening "wolf in sheep's clothing". HSUS is PETA without the scare tactics approach. Anyone in the field of animal scienes knows that their agenda is ultimately the ending of Animal Agriculture. I'm thankful for Mr. Heimerl and other animal producers around Ohio for their hardwork and dedication. As an employee on a dairy farm, I love my cows, and spoil them as often as I can.
It's time for a state to finally stand up to the legal powerhouse that is HSUS. They need to be knocked off their high horse and understand that states like Ohio will not lay down and bend to THEIR rules. Keep the power local (meaning Ohio). Don't give the power to some out-of-state activists with alternative motives

Oh what nonsense. If HSUS got a real livestock standard on the ballot you will still have local people enforcing it. HSUS has plenty of members in Ohio. And the only ulterior motives here (that's the word you actually want, hon) are the ulterior motives of those supporting the current phony proposal, designed to do nothing but stop Ohioans from voting on real standards for farm animals to live minimally decent lives.

Get out of your animal science courses and take something that lets you learn a little about the world. You clearly have lots of that to do.

Excuse me, I was not being rude when I posted my comment. You sir, however are a rude, slimy lawyer who knows nothing about agriculture. It's people like you who will ruin lives if Issue 2 fails. Do not get me wrong, I'm not blind to the fact that there are some producers out there who do not treat their animals with the respect they deserve. But let me tell you a little something about family farms... Ohio's animal production farms are made up of 99% family farms. That is their livelyhood and their animals are their meal ticket. My boss always tells us to treat the cows like the queens they are because without them, we wouldn't make any money. We are all about cow comfort at the dairy I work at, just as probably most, if not all dairy farms operate. If cows are unhappy or stressed out, they will not produce milk. Take a look at California. Because Proposition 2 was passed, families will be forced to either move or go out of business because of the the HSUS "standards".
There are scientifically proven reason why we use battery cages for chickens and gestation pens for sows. But you wouldn't know that because you've never done any research into the matter. Well here's a quick lesson for you honey. Battery cages are used because chickens showed no sign of stress in close proximity with other chickens. Chickens naturally like to group together. Also, there was a study done on how much a chicken would actually move around in a cage-free environment. It showed that 95% of chickens never left a 5 foot radius throughout their entire lives. You should really look into the standards of "cage-free" birds. Yes, there are obviously no cages but that means the birds just stands on a dirt floor, in a crowded barn and if they are layer hens, they have their eggs on the dirt and poo covered floors. Sounds appetizing. Ok, are you keeping up with me? Now the reason for gestation pens is because hogs are naturally cannibalistic. This means hon, that they will eat their offspring. Also, sows can way over 500 lbs and these pens help keep the sows from stepping on the piglets. The main reason of course is to keep the sows from eating their young. Makes sense right? What's more cruel? Gestation pens or watching a sow eat their young? Unlike you, I've looked at both sides of the story, and yes, I may have a bias towards one side, but I can tell you right now, HSUS has ULTERIOR motives. For once, politicians are trying to protect jobs in this state and all you can do is be ignorant and be part of ruining lives. You do understand that the reason food is cheap is because a lot of it is now local grown, or raised? If HSUS has their way, people will lose their jobs, more food will have to be imported from other states, and the price of food will skyrocket. And let me tell you, not everyone can afford more expensive food in this economy because not everyone has a worthless cushiony lawyer job, who gets paid WAYYYY too much for their own good. Thanks HON

And let me tell you something, I am in the real world. You are the one stuck up your own ass. Do you think that I'm learning gibberish in college? Do you think my professors are teaching gibberish? Get the facts HON. You aren't in the real world.

ohio lawyer wrote:

Oh what nonsense. If HSUS got a real livestock standard on the ballot you will still have local people enforcing it. HSUS has plenty of members in Ohio. And the only ulterior motives here (that's the word you actually want, hon) are the ulterior motives of those supporting the current phony proposal, designed to do nothing but stop Ohioans from voting on real standards for farm animals to live minimally decent lives.
Get out of your animal science courses and take something that lets you learn a little about the world. You clearly have lots of that to do.

You clearly are an HSUS supporter and a vegan. The Humane Society of the United States will stop nothing short of banning ALL animal products, period. Even our pets would be let free if they had their way.
Issue 2 will form a committee of OHIOAN farmers, veterinarians, etc to decide what is best for Ohio agriculture, not a special interest group that wants to ban all animal agriculture and collects donations from unsuspecting people that think that HSUS is affiliated with an animal shelter.

I support farmers and the way they raise animals. HSUS IS NOT A US FUNDED PROGRAM !!! They make you think they are but there a bunch of vegans that are trying to push it on you.

ohio lawyer wrote:

Oh what nonsense. If HSUS got a real livestock standard on the ballot you will still have local people enforcing it. HSUS has plenty of members in Ohio. And the only ulterior motives here (that's the word you actually want, hon) are the ulterior motives of those supporting the current phony proposal, designed to do nothing but stop Ohioans from voting on real standards for farm animals to live minimally decent lives.
Get out of your animal science courses and take something that lets you learn a little about the world. You clearly have lots of that to do.

Hmm, for a lawyer, you're not very good at making a case for your position. I didn't know much about the issue before I read the article, but I tend to vote so I wanted to educate myself. Still didn't know how to feel about the issue, so I thought I'd read the comments. As far as I'm concerned, so far, Stephanie's winning.

Woot, why are you doing your "research" by reading the comments of Dispatch readers? Why are you from Oklahoma and talking about voting on an Ohio issue? Stephanie, if Issue 2 fails, don't we have the same situation as we have today? Why the "sky is falling" fear mongering post?

So people who don't want chickens de-beaked and kept their whole lives in a shoe-box, or who don't want calves tormented to produce tender veal are "activists"?? Wow- way to be really fair and impartial, Dispatch!

I am distressed also by the tendency of both the Issue 3 and Issue 2 campaigns to fan the flames of xenophobia: "control the borders!" and "don't let outside activists in!" Funny- I thought we were all Americans. Guess not, when millions of dollars of big agriculture are on the line.
The concerns of true "family farms" are important, but the way this was rushed to the table sounds like a power-grab, written by big business, for big business.
Let's examine this carefully before we cede this much control.

ohio lawyer wrote:

Oh what nonsense. If HSUS got a real livestock standard on the ballot you will still have local people enforcing it. HSUS has plenty of members in Ohio. And the only ulterior motives here (that's the word you actually want, hon) are the ulterior motives of those supporting the current phony proposal, designed to do nothing but stop Ohioans from voting on real standards for farm animals to live minimally decent lives.
Get out of your animal science courses and take something that lets you learn a little about the world. You clearly have lots of that to do.

You're an ***hole, d'you know that --- HON?

Go impress your friends somewhere.

Issue 2 is a measure of preemptive action and is necessary now to deter future actions by fringe activists bent on restructuring/overregulating, and thus, destroying, Ohio's current agricultural system.

Stephanie wrote:

As a student in Animal Sciences, I commend Ohio's fast response to the ever threatening "wolf in sheep's clothing". HSUS is PETA without the scare tactics approach. Anyone in the field of animal scienes knows that their agenda is ultimately the ending of Animal Agriculture. I'm thankful for Mr. Heimerl and other animal producers around Ohio for their hardwork and dedication. As an employee on a dairy farm, I love my cows, and spoil them as often as I can.
It's time for a state to finally stand up to the legal powerhouse that is HSUS. They need to be knocked off their high horse and understand that states like Ohio will not lay down and bend to THEIR rules. Keep the power local (meaning Ohio). Don't give the power to some out-of-state activists with alternative motives

You mean Keep the Power Corporate. You are a stooge for Industrial Ag and our ugly new world of Confined Animal Feedlot Operations (what used to be farms). Most Ohioans would be appalled at conditions that are routine in CAFOs across this state. And bad ag practices have also led to a repoisoning of Lake Erie as farm runoff is causing four foot thick algae blooms.

Stephanie wrote:

And let me tell you something, I am in the real world. You are the one stuck up your own ****. Do you think that I'm learning gibberish in college? Do you think my professors are teaching gibberish? Get the facts HON. You aren't in the real world.

I think land grant universities have sold out to the Cargills, Monsantos, Farm Bureaus (catch what 60 Minutes exposed about those nice folks) and other corporate interests who are changing the face of US farming in some very ugly ways.

Ohio Lawyer wrote:

<quoted text>
You mean Keep the Power Corporate. You are a stooge for Industrial Ag and our ugly new world of Confined Animal Feedlot Operations (what used to be farms). Most Ohioans would be appalled at conditions that are routine in CAFOs across this state. And bad ag practices have also led to a repoisoning of Lake Erie as farm runoff is causing four foot thick algae blooms.

Stephanie is employed by a large farm operation; she knows her subject well. I'll bet you've never set foot on a large farm operation. Truth is, if anyone here is a stooge for a certain clientele, it's you. Stick to what you do best -- don't you have some billable hours to overstate on client invoices?

Ohio Lawyer wrote:

<quoted text>
I think land grant universities have sold out to the Cargills, Monsantos, Farm Bureaus (catch what 60 Minutes exposed about those nice folks) and other corporate interests who are changing the face of US farming in some very ugly ways.

Oh, a "60 Minutes" expose -- that's rich.

Funny that people are soooo against HSUS in this particular situation. Keep bringing up that they support veganism, but veganism will NEVER be supported within this state. In the meantime, go ahead and allow factory farms continue to use farming methods that (completely aside from animal rights) are DISGUSTING. Eat your chicken that was pressed up against a dead one for days. Eat your eggs that were hatched by a chicken corpse.

Me - I've never been much one for cutting off my nose to spite my face.

We are all aware that the average family farmer treats their livestock well -- that's really not what this is about. It's about factory farms. I keep seeing farmers on these boards defending their farms, saying they already raise their livestock cleanly and humanely - then why the freak out? If that's the case, you have no reason to worry. If anything, you would think it would be an advantage for you, as factory farms would have to spend more money to raise their livestock properly, making it easier for you to compete.

You would throw away that opportunity simply because you don't like HSUS? You're digging your own hole!

Stephanie wrote:

Battery cages are used because chickens showed no sign of stress in close proximity with other chickens. Chickens naturally like to group together. Also, there was a study done on how much a chicken would actually move around in a cage-free environment. It showed that 95% of chickens never left a 5 foot radius throughout their entire lives. You should really look into the standards of "cage-free" birds... Now the reason for gestation pens is because hogs are naturally cannibalistic. This means hon, that they will eat their offspring. Also, sows can way over 500 lbs and these pens help keep the sows from stepping on the piglets. The main reason of course is to keep the sows from eating their young.

This is what we call making justifications. I think you need to get off that dairy and go visit a real farm. I grew up in farming country and unless Ohio chickens and pigs are somehow different I never witnessed any of the above despite years of exposure to farming. Chickens roam quite well when allowed to and seem to prefer it. And while hogs will eat just about anything, they do not attack their own as a food source (will eat the dead though). Nor have I ever seen a mama sow attack her own piglets. On the contrary, I have been chased by a sow defending her piglets (me and another guy just took a shortcut that got too near her). I don't have a problem with you saying you don't trust HSUS, but don't justify factory farming with garbage studies designed to make people feel good about what humans do to animals. It isn't doing any of us any good.

Anonymous wrote:

Funny that people are soooo against HSUS in this particular situation. Keep bringing up that they support veganism, but veganism will NEVER be supported within this state. In the meantime, go ahead and allow factory farms continue to use farming methods that (completely aside from animal rights) are DISGUSTING. Eat your chicken that was pressed up against a dead one for days. Eat your eggs that were hatched by a chicken corpse.
Me - I've never been much one for cutting off my nose to spite my face.
We are all aware that the average family farmer treats their livestock well -- that's really not what this is about. It's about factory farms. I keep seeing farmers on these boards defending their farms, saying they already raise their livestock cleanly and humanely - then why the freak out? If that's the case, you have no reason to worry. If anything, you would think it would be an advantage for you, as factory farms would have to spend more money to raise their livestock properly, making it easier for you to compete.
You would throw away that opportunity simply because you don't like HSUS? You're digging your own hole!

You've bought into the animal rights agenda hysteria. Ag producers don't set about to raise and sell low grade, tainted product. First, common sense dictates that bad product doesn't sell. Second, ever heard of the USDA? Infractions affecting the national food supply bring huge repercussions -- punitive fines, costly recalls, and ultimate loss of consumers -- resulting in total business failure.

Frankly, farms/companies which do not adhere to industry standards cannot survive. Infractions widely dispersed and regurgitated by agenda-driven media outlets are rare.

It's akin to media coverage of U.S. war dead. Under GW Bush, the media provided us daily death counts (military AND civilian); journalists clamoured for video coverage of returning soldiers' caskets. And under Obama? Nary a peep, not a photo. It's simply not on the agenda now.

Turn on your critical thinking skills.

I cannot stand the term "factory farm." It was thought up by the people who support HSUS and liberal news media such as CNN. I'm not saying having liberal news media is a bad thing but they use the term so loosely that no one is sure what it actually means? Does it mean corporate farming? Does it mean the number of animals raised in a single area? The truth is, 98% of farms in Ohio are FAMILY FARMS. This isn't Ol' McDonald's farm anymore. Just because a single farmer isn't raising a mixture of cows, chickens, sheep, goats, ect. doesn't mean they aren't a family farm. It means they have specialized themselves to understand the ins and outs of a particular species, such as dairy cattle. When taking animal science courses, you can emphasize on a specific animal, such as my emphasis is on dairy. What that means is, the courses I CHOOSE to take are dairy related. Do NOT lecture me on the proper care of dairy animals because you will lose my friend. I absolutely love the cows I take care of and Issue 2 will assure the people of Ohio, that the milk my ladies produce is of the highest quality. If you don't believe me, argue with the state and federal inspectors that insure this is what we do.

http://www.youtube.com/results...

Really?? Open your eyes, countdown. You may be irritated by the tactics of the animal rights people, but you CANNOT say these things DON'T happen. They absolutely do. And while I in no way think it's happening on a majority of farms - as I stated above - it IS happening.