Request for Public Comment from Ohio Dept. of Ag. – Animal Health Livestock Exhibition Rules Ch 18 and 19

Request for Public Comment: Animal Health Livestock Exhibition Rules Ch 18 and 19

Revised Bulletin- Through stakeholder feedback, the division of Animal Health has further amended rule 901-19-13 of the Administrative Code to further clarify the prohibited and unacceptable practices. A statement has also been added to paragraph (C) to clarify that any of the listed practices, if applied during an exhibition, would cause the livestock to be ineligible for the show.  Due to this revision, the comment period will be extended until February 23, 2024.

The rules in Chapter 901:1-18 of the Ohio Administrative Code outline the rules and requirements for animals which are imported into or moved within Ohio for exhibition purposes. Pursuant to section 941.02 of the Revised Code, the Department, through the Chief of the Division of Animal Health, shall promote and protect the livestock, poultry, and other animal interests of the state, prevent the spread of dangerously contagious or infectious disease, provide for the control and eradication of such disease, and to cooperate with the United States Department of Agriculture in such work. The rules of this chapter meet this directive. More specifically, the rules outline the disease testing requirements as well as proof of ownership of all animals coming into Ohio. These rules are necessary in ensuring that all animals in the state of Ohio remain disease free.

The rules in Chapter 901-19 of the Ohio Administrative Code outline the regulations for the exhibition of livestock in the state of Ohio. Exhibition of livestock generally occurs at a livestock show held at the Ohio State Fair or a fair under the control of a county or independent agricultural society. The rules in this chapter set forth the governance and administration of these exhibitions and standards related to food safety and the health, safety, and welfare of livestock including grooming, commercial, or medical practices that are generally accepted in the community. The rules have been reviewed by the Advisory Committee on Livestock Exhibitions which advises the Director on topics pertaining to the administration of the exhibition of livestock program.

Pursuant to Ohio Revised Code 901.72, the rules adopted under which apply to exhibition related food safety and the health, safety, and welfare of livestock shall apply to every exhibition. However, exhibitions may choose to adopt rules which do not apply to those issues. The rules as drafted indicate which rules are mandatory and which rules are optional for adoption by the exhibition.

  • (Amended) OAC 901:18-01 to 11 and 901:19-01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 10, 12, 13, 19, 21, 31, 32, 35, 39 and 40
  • (No Change) OAC 901:19-33
  • (Rescinded) OAC 901:19-09, 11, 34, 38,

View Business Impact Analysis and Proposed Rules: https://agri.ohio.gov/divisions/legal-office/Admin-Rules

These Rules are open for comment between January 26, and February 23, 2024. Please send your written comments on these rules to eComments@agri.ohio.gov and CSIPublicComments@governor.ohio.gov

Source: February 16, 2024 News Release from the Ohio Department of Agriculture

Junior Fair Families: ODA Comment Period Open for Proposed Changes to Livestock Exhibition Rules

The Ohio Department of Agriculture, division of Animal Health – Animal Exhibitions Program, has posted the following rules to its website. As stakeholders, please read and review the proposed rules and provide comments back to the department by January 8, 2024.

  • OAC 901:1-18
  • OAC 901-19

You can find these rules under the “Stakeholder Review” tab of the Department’s Administrative Rule Review page. You can find the Department’s Administrative Rule Review page by visiting here.

Ohio Department of Agriculture – Exhibition Ownership Rules Clarified

Complete list of rule updates: Ohio Youth Livestock Exhibition Rules 4.17.23

Leasing MARKET animals for youth exhibition projects is NOT permitted under any circumstances.

Ownership
For market animals, dairy animals, and owned (not leased) breeding livestock:
1. An animal cannot be used by more than one youth member per project year.

2. The same animal cannot be used for more than one project per project year (i.e., a single heifer cannot be shown as both a market and a breeding project).

3. An animal may only be exhibited by the project member in any junior livestock exhibition, including at the Ohio State Fair.
a. Excludes show/class conflicts at the exhibition, “showman of showmen” type classes, or extenuating circumstances. Check with local exhibition sponsor to determine what circumstances may qualify.
b. For junior fair classes where education or charity is the purpose (e.g., pee wee, special needs, Dean’s Charity Steer Show, etc.), ensure that the exhibitor is involved in the mentoring of the individual showing the animal in that class.
c. Refer to “junior livestock show/exhibition” definition above.

4. In shows outside of “junior livestock show/exhibitions,” a project animal may only be shown by the youth exhibitor or family members. If shown by a youth outside of the immediate family, this constitutes a change in ownership.
a. “Family” means the immediate family of an exhibitor, including but not limited to the exhibitor’s parent, step-parent, foster parent, grandparent, step-grandparent, foster grandparent, brother, sister, step-brother, step-sister, half-brother, half-sister, son, daughter, step-son, step-daughter, or legal guardian.

5. All market, dairy, and breeding animals exhibited at a junior livestock exhibition must be fully owned by the exhibitor or household as defined in OAC 901-19-39 as evidenced by a bill of sale or registration, including all showing rights, and in the complete custody and care of the exhibitor on or before possession deadlines.

6. Ownership of an animal shall be considered lost if the animal has been:
a. Leased to a different individual (not the project member) after the applicable possession date,
b. Consigned to or sold through an auction or any other type of transaction that takes place prior to the junior livestock exhibition, after the applicable possession date even if the animal is bought back by the exhibitor.

7. The exhibitor is expected to fully provide daily care for their animal(s) from the possession deadline to the conclusion of the exhibition/sale. This includes, but is not limited to, ensuring adequate access to clean, fresh water, feed, and shelter while ensuring good health and welfare of the animal. If not possible, in extenuating circumstances, the exhibitor is responsible for contacting the local Extension office and/or FFA advisor to ensure transparency. Additional paperwork may be necessary, as determined at the local level (i.e., Ohio 4-H Livestock Care Agreement

Last Chance: QA Instructor Training for Advisors is April 26th

2023 Fairfield County Quality Assurance: Instructor Training for 4-H and FFA Advisors, Superintendents, and Show Committee Members

Quality Assurance is an annual Ohio Department of Agriculture (see 901-19-07 of Ohio Administrative Code) requirement for 4-H and FFA youth to exhibit at the Fairfield County Junior Fair who are enrolled in beef (breeding and market), goats (dairy, meat, market, & pygmy),rabbits (market and breeding – this does not include pet rabbits), sheep (breeding and market), dairy cattle (breeding and feeders),poultry (breeding and market), hogs, and alpacas/llamasFairfield County youth must attend a qualified Quality Assurance Clinic by June 30th of the current year to be eligible to show at the 2023 Fairfield County Junior Fair. Youth who wish to show in a Junior Livestock Show at the Ohio State Fair should have QA completed by June 1st, 2023.

We will continue the same process of allowing 4-H club volunteers/FFA chapter advisors to teach QA at the club/chapter level IN-PERSON. We are looking for interested “Assistant Instructors” to be trained (and “certified”) to educate exhibitors on the required Good Production Practices (GPP’s) to be covered in 2023. As a certified Assistant Instructor, you will be able to teach Quality Assurance at the club/chapter level for 2023 after completing this training. We will also be looking for trained individuals to help with our countywide make-up dates on Saturday, May 6th (9:00 – 10:30 a.m.) or Sunday, May 21st (12:00 – 1:30 p.m.) at the fairgrounds.

All 4-H Advisors, FFA Advisors, and Show Committee Members are invited to attend the QA Instructor Training. Please share with your fellow advisors to be sure they know about this information.

The final QA instructor trainings will be: Wednesday, April 26th at 6:30 p.m. at the Ag Center/Extension Office.

Please RSVP to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu or call the Extension Office at 740-653-5419.

 At the training, you will:

  1. Learn the 10 Good Production Practices of Quality Assurance Education and which GPP’s need to be covered for 2023.
  2. Learn the documentation process planned for 2023. This will be structured for smaller groups and more at the club/chapter level.
  3. Receive training materials to cover this year’s required GPP’s for 2023. As an instructor, you will teach market exhibitors about all 10 GPP’s but go in detail on 3 of them. Activities will be provided to you to work through with market exhibitors for the 3 required GPP’s.
  4. Learn more about how record keeping and the accountability of your instruction to clubs and chapters needs to be documented and returned to the OSU Extension Office to ensure market exhibitors will then be eligible to show market livestock at the 2023 Fairfield County Fair. As a reminder, the deadline to complete Quality Assurance for Fairfield County Junior Fair Exhibitors is June 30th of the current year.
  5. Learn about any changes in Ohio Department of Agricultural Fair Exhibition Rules that affect Junior Fair Livestock Exhibitors so that you can share these with all livestock participants in your club/chapter.

If questions, Leslie (cooksey.25@osu.edu) know!

We are looking forward to continuing this process in 2023.

ODA News: Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Update

HPAI cases are still being detected in commercial and backyard flocks throughout the country. ODA, USDA, and the Ohio Poultry Association continue to push out the message and importance of good biosecurity. The ODA website has many great resources on biosecurity as well as a list of the cases that have occurred in Ohio.

 

If you have sick or dying poultry call ODA at 614-728-6220.

Source: Ohio Animal Health Newsletter – April 2023

Attention Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance Updates

Quality Assurance is an annual requirement of the Ohio Department of Agriculture for youth taking livestock projects to county and state fair. In Fairfield County, Quality Assurance Training is required for all members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Fair or Junior Exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.

Deadlines for 2022:

  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2022.
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 30, 2022

At this time, Quality Assurance CANNOT be taught by club/chapter advisors to Fairfield County 4-H/FFA youth virtually (i.e. Zoom, Google Hangouts, Google Classrooms, Facebook Live, etc.).

Here are the acceptable options to complete Quality Assurance in 2022:

  • In-Person 4-H Club/FFA Chapter Clinic taught by a 4-H/FFA Advisor who has completed the Quality Assurance Assistant Instructor Training this year (which took place on March 14th and March 28th). Advisors who attended this training will notify their members of their club/chapter QA Clinic date and will be responsible for getting all QA paperwork submitted to the Extension Office by the appropriate deadlines.
  • In-Person Countywide Make-Up Clinics: To be held on Saturday, May 7th from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. and Sunday, May 22nd from 12:00 p.m.- 1:30 p.m. in the Ed Sands Building at the Fairgrounds. An RSVP is required. Please click here to register for a countywide QA makeup clinic.
  • In-Person Beef Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person BQA taught by a certified BQA instructor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.
  • In-Person Pork Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person PQA taught by a certified PQA advisor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.eduYouth MUST be age 14 or older (current age) to complete in-person PQA. Youth will receive a PQA certification number from the National Pork Board upon completion.
  • Online: Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA). This is the ONLY approved ONLINE Quality Assurance Program for youth in Ohio. For 2022, this web-based course has been approved by ODA for 8-18 year olds.
    • Go to  https://yqcaprogram.org/ for the training and quiz. 3
    • Instructions for using the new website can be found at: 2022 YQCA Website Instructions
    • Exhibitors must complete by June 30, 2022 or they will not be able to show at the Fairfield County Fair.
    • You will need to select the web-based training ($12.00 per member, annually).
    • When you are finished, please send name(s) and certificate number(s) to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.

Ohio Poultry Producers! Be Alert and Practice Enhanced Biosecurity

For more information on biosecurity practices, visit: USDA APHIS | Defend the Flock – Resource Center

Defend the Flock Winter Bulletin
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_health/dtf-newsletter-winter-22.pdf

All cases in commercial and backyard flocks: USDA APHIS | 2022 Detections of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Attention Poultry Producers (including 4-H members and anyone raising backyard poultry): Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Biosecurity Measures

Last week USDA APHIS issued updates that included multiple cases of High Path Avian Influenza in the Carolinas(waterfowl), which would put them on a path towards Ohio following the migratory waterfowl pathways. Below is a one-pager with a bunch of helpful links embedded to assist those who are hunters, backyard poultry keepers, or members of the 4-H community as they prepare for chick season. You may also download this information here: High Path Avian Influenza Update 2022.01.19 Biosecurity will be critical to avoid an outbreak this season.

Source: Timothy McDermott DVM; Assistant Professor, Extension Educator; Agriculture and Natural Resources, Franklin County

DUNF: Drug Use Notification Forms – MUST be completed before WEIGH-IN (do not submit until after Oct. 7th)!

DUNF Forms – These will be completed online this year. I would suggest that exhibitors should not fill them out until as close to weigh-in/move-in day as possible to ensure the information is correct and their market/lactating animal is drug free moving into fair. The link to the online DUNF Form is in the specie rules of the Junior Fair Book (under Health Papers).

A direct link to the DUNF is: http://go.osu.edu/fairfielddunf. If someone submits a form with errors, please have them contact Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu so we can delete that record and they will be asked to submit a new form.

Online DUNF Instructions – Fairfield

Market Poultry exhibitors will not have identification until fair weigh-in for their birds. Please put TBD in the identification field and we will update your form after weigh-in.

As a reminder:

Valid and current Drug Use Notification Forms (DUNF) must be submitted on-line immediately prior to the Fairfield County Fair  for each market or lactating animal that is exhibited by a youth participating in Junior Fair. Animals requiring a DUNF indicating the animal is free from any/all drugs in it’s system on fair weigh-in/move-in day are:

  • Market Beef (Steer or Heifer)
  • Dairy Beef Feeder
  • Dairy Cow (Lactating)
  • MQP Barrow
  • Market Barrow
  • Market Gilt
  • Market Goat
  • Dairy Goat (Lactating)
  • Market Chicken
  • Market Turkey
  • Market Duck
  • MQP Lamb
  • Market Lamb

A separate form must be completed for each animal being brought to the Fair. If the information on the form regarding drug use changes or if a drug is subsequently administered at any time after the drug use notification form is filed, an updated drug use notification form shall immediately be filed with the records official (contact Leslie Cooksey information if a second form must be submitted).

Forms should be completed no sooner than 3 days prior to animal weigh-in to be sure that their animal is drug free during fair. Forms submitted prior to that timeframe will be deleted and exhibitors will be asked to resubmit the DUNF form closer to their animal’s weigh-in.

  • MQP Barrows will weigh-in on Sunday, September 26th. (submit your form between the 24th and 26th)
  • MQP Lambs will weigh-in on Sunday, October 3rd. (submit your form between the 1st and 3rd)
  • All other animals being brought to the fair requiring DUNF forms will need to submit their forms after October 7th and by Saturday, October 9th.

To submit your form for each animal, begin by going to this link.