One more bit of politics: No on 2

by julie on November 2, 2009

Okay, I promise, after tomorrow: no more politics. At least until next year!

Issue 2, in the state of Ohio, adds a constitutional amendment providing for the formation of an agricultural board to oversee farming procedures in the Buckeye State. Sounds good, right?

It’s a case of the foxes watching the henhouse. Big ag– we’re not talking small farmers, here– has initiated this to cut off the possibility of closer scrutiny from animal rights advocacy organizations.

I’m not a vegetarian or a vegan, but I DO care where my food comes from. I don’t think that some of the atrocities– and they are brutal– that happen on big, factory farms should allow to go on with no oversight. On the other hand, I would not want a “big ag” heavy board to tell smaller farmers that what they are doing is unsafe (when really, it just makes big ag look bad). It’s an incredibly tricky issue, and not something that should be dealt with in a constitutional amendment.

For more information, read Snowville Creamery’s position.

For even more information (in a national forum), read Michael Ruhlman’s position. I forget he’s from the Cleveland area.

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  • vudutu

    Thanks for taking a stand on this Julie. I am not a farmer but I raise some of my own food and I take what I eat seriously. As far as I can see after reading up on issue 2 and talking to the local farmers I buy from, it appears Issue 2 is more likely to harm the small local producer than help. I am afraid though with all the advertising poured into this issue, big business will win again, I do hope I am wrong so I am also urging everyone I know to vote no on 2 and tell everyone you know NO on 2.

    In doubt? Follow the money.

    http://www.scribd.com/doc/21530163/Analysis-of-Ohioans-for-Livestock-Care-PAC-1

    or if that won’t work

    http://tinyurl.com/yj2rnws

    What bothers me the most is is the people funding the passage of this bill are the same big ag people who brought you H1N1 and E Coli contamination. If they want it to pass I don’t. Not one of the small local farmers I buy from are asking for more regulation or supporting issue 2.

    It does sound to me like the main intent, and hence the reason big ag is supporting the bill, is to head off more wide reaching and painful (to big ag) legislation in the future as some other states have. Here is some text from one a mailers from the big ag backed PAC urging a yes on 2 vote.

    “For generations, Ohio farmers have provided us the same safe, locally grown food they feed their own families. Yes for Issue 2 will help to ensure that continues for generations to come.”

    Why do we need a change in the Ohio constitution to to fix something that they themselves admit is not broke?

    http://www.ohioact.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Issue2.pdf

    If you are serious about the food you eat I suggest you do three things.

    #1 Read everything you can by Michael Pollan, his in depth research and common sense approach to the subjects are informative, entertaining and approachable. PBS has recently been running a special based on his book “The Botany of Desire” Catch it if you can.

    http://www.michaelpollan.com/

    #2 Watch “The Future of Food” by Deborah Koons Garcia, who, by the way, is an Indian Hill native and was the late Jerry Garcia’s wife. Everyone should see this film.

    http://www.thefutureoffood.com

    #3 Eat Local as much as possible. Do all you can to avoid being involved in corporate monoculture, processed and fast food. It is killing you and the earth.

  • http://idtmi.blogspot.com ChemGuy

    Thanks for posting this.

    I’ve been trying to find out more about issue 2, and the semi-universal support for it via signage in the West Chester area had me a little suspicious.
    .-= ChemGuy´s last blog ..Update: Princeton graphics =-.

  • Palmer

    Here, here! NO on 2. Foxes watching the hen house indeed.

    Who do you trust more? Yourself or a 13 panel board with little restriction and accountability to the voters?

    Do you know how many Big Ag lobbyists there are in Washington? They aren’t there to watch your food safety people.

    Issue 2 is like eating candy with no consequences for Big Ag. So, true, they would have other representatives on the board – appointed by a governor you may or may not like – whose outside influences you can’t confirm. Yikes.

    No on 2!

  • http://www.lagniappecincy.blogspot.com Sophia

    The misleading commercials on 2 have been most confusing & downright disturbing. Yes PLEASE vote no on 2. I also care where the animals I eat come from and NONE of it is pretty. But years ago a food animals worst day was it’s last day. Now they live hours, 24/7 for months and years in UNSPEAKABLE conditions yet Mega farms says it’s fine to “protect the animals” from each other. This justifies their greed to pack animals together, stacking some in barns.

    Also for YEARS cage free eggs have been muddled down. That no longer means chickens can go in and out freely. It means a barn with a million chickens can have a small opening in ONE CORNER and legally call it “cage free” but few birds make it through the crowd to see day.

    Still ALL BIRDS are raised in barns and THAT needs to be changed.Dairy cows and ALL other animals NEED improved housing conditions. Voting NO on 2 will be the first of small baby steps but still a positive move.

    Thanks for the column, Julie. I kinda feel strongly about this. Sorry for the long reply.

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