Audio by title conscious_voices_ohioans_to_vote_on_issue_2_is_it_a_corporate_power_grab

Conscious Voices with Tom Over--The Politics of Food : Ohio Votes on Issue 2

Submitted by consciousvoices on Thu, 12/17/2009 - 2:21pm

58:03 minutes (53.16 MB)

Ohio voters will decide on Issue 2 in the Nov 3 elections. If passed, the ballot initiative will amend the Ohio constitution so as to establish a 13 member “Livestock Care Standards Board.”

Proponents say Issue 2 will promote safe, affordable, and local food, while also promoting the care of Ohio’s farm animals.

Opponents say the ballot initiative is a corporate power grab that will, in reality, impede improvements to farm animal welfare, while also promoting the interests of factory farms over those of small to medium sized farms.

The Yes- on- Issue 2 signs you might see around Columbus include the words ‘safe, local, food.’ But both its proponents and opponents say the ballot initiative is an attempt to prevent the Human Society of the United States from facilitating changes to Ohio’s laws pertaining to confinement practices for farm animals, as the organization has done in seven states.

The confinement practices in question are those that prevent farm animals from having enough room to stand up, lie down, turn around or extend their limbs.

Eriyah Flynn is an animal rights activist working with Mercy For Animals in Columbus, Ohio.