Source:  Rita Jane Gabbett, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 10/22/10

The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board announced it has proposed civil penalty rules to enforce newly created livestock care standards.

The proposed civil penalty rules will be filed with the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) to begin the rule-making process.

The penalties for each livestock care standard will be based on major and minor violations of Ohio Administrative Code 901:12.

A major violation may result in a civil penalty of $1,000 up to $5,000 for a first offense and $5,000 up to $10,000 for each subsequent offense. A minor violation may result in a civil penalty of up to $500 for a first offense and up to $1,000 for each subsequent offense. Major and minor violations will remain on record for five years.

“The Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board is making strides in its endeavor to do what Ohioans have asked of it: to create livestock care standards and civil penalties that will protect not only Ohio’s livestock but also consumers, producers and the livelihood of the state’s number one industry—food and agriculture,” said Ohio Department of Agriculture Director Robert Boggs in a statement. “The proposed civil penalty rules created today will strengthen every livestock care standard this board creates.”

The proposed penalty rules will be posted to the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board’s website and open for comment for two weeks. Comments may be e-mailed to Ecomments@agri.ohio.gov.

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.