Ohio Department of Agriculture

Ohio Department of Agriculture – Exhibition Ownership Rules Clarified

by

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

by

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/llamas. Fairfield 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

by

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

by

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.edu. Youth 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

by

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

by

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)!

by

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.

Attention Livestock Exhibitors: DUNF Forms now available!

by

The Drug Use Notification Forms (DUNF) are now available at the Senior Fair Office and the OSU Extension Office. Advisors should please send a representative from your club to pick-up the forms. Forms will be due at weigh-in for each species. As a reminder, our county code is 94. Continuing from 2017: Per page 7 of the Junior Fair Book, Rule 26 states: Market animals and any species that requires a DUNF must be free from any/all drugs in their system at fair weigh-in day.

All exhibitors at the Fairfield County Junior Fair must abide by the rules listed in the 2018 Junior Fair Book. Please note that animals must be drug free or within tolerance by weigh-in day of fair. Each member is to bring a completed Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF) to weigh-in at fair. Livestock exhibitors must have completed a Quality Assurance Training by June 30, 2018 and should indicated so on the DUNF in order to exhibit at the 2018 Fairfield County Junior Fair. If the forms are not correctly completed, exhibitors will not be permitted to show.

ODA Internship Program for Summer 2018

by

ODA is pleased to announce the Ohio Department of Agriculture internship program for Summer 2018. They are now accepting applications from students from all disciplines for the internship program that will run from May 23rd – August 5th, 2018.

Upon successful completion of the internship, $500 scholarships will be awarded to interns and dispensed directly to their college or university of enrollment.

Timeline:

  • Application deadline: January 31, 2018, 5 pm.
  • Interviews: February and March, 2018 at the Ohio Department of Agriculture.
  • Accepted candidates will be notified by April 6, 2018.
  • Internship period: May 23 – August 5, 2018

Criteria:

  • Applicants must have satisfactorily completed at least one term of freshman coursework at an accredited college or university.
  • Applicants must provide their own transportation to the ODA campus.
  • Applicants must be familiar with using personal computers and Windows operating systems.

Return ODA University Application with:
Cover Letter, resume, and letter of reference to
Traci Hayes, Chief, Human Resources
Ohio Department of Agriculture
8995 East Main Street
Reynoldsburg, Ohio 43068

DUE: January 31, 2018

Source: http://www.ohioagriculture.gov/pages/odauniversity.aspx

2018 Ohio Fairs Schedule Now Available

by

Source: ODA Communications, (614) 752-9817, communications@agri.ohio.gov

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio (Dec. 13, 2017) – Ohioans can start planning visits to all of their favorite fairs across the state. The Ohio Department of Agriculture today released the official dates for the 2018 fair season, which includes Ohio’s 94 county and independent fairs and the Ohio State Fair.

The Paulding County Fair will kick off the 2018 fair season on June 11, and the season will wrap up on Oct. 13 with the Fairfield County Fair. For a complete schedule, click here.

In addition to setting and approving the dates for the independent and county fairs, the department is responsible for helping to assure the safety of fair amusement rides, monitoring livestock shows to help assure honest competition and coordinating animal health efforts with local veterinarians.