In another unanimous and bipartisan vote, the Ohio Senate passed H.B. 503, known as the Feral Swine bill, 31-0 this week, the Ohio Pork Council said in a release. This marks an important milestone toward protecting Ohio agriculture against the massive disease and economic threat posed by non-native feral swine entering the state. The Ohio House voted 89-0 last June to do the same, meaning the legislation now only needs the governor’s signature to become effective.
“On behalf of Ohio’s pig farmers, landowners, and many others in agriculture, we’re very pleased with this historic bipartisan vote by both houses as we now await Governor DeWine’s signature as the final act needed to allow this much-needed legislation to become law,” Cheryl Day, executive vice president of the Ohio Pork Council, said in a release. “We’re now at a monumental point of bringing greater protection to our state’s livestock and crop producers, so we simply ask the governor to take the final step to make it a reality and give our farm families the extra protection they deserve.”
In addition to the reduced risk of animal disease, Day said the immense damage that non-native feral swine bring to Ohio’s land, crops, soil and water alone justifies the governor’s signature of H.B. 503.
Wild hog populations are continuing to spread and move north in the U.S. As one of the most destructive invasive animal species in the U.S., the significant increase in the wild hog population is of great concern to many. According to the USDA, wild hogs cause approximately $2.5 billion in agricultural damages each year.
“We want to thank the tireless efforts of our bill sponsors Rep. Don Jones and Rep. Bob Peterson, along with Sen. Tim Schaffer. They all worked hard to help us get this bill passed so that our state’s farmers have more protection against costly foreign animal diseases,” Day says. “The nonpartisan, broad support we’ve seen only underscores the clear need to sign this legislation into law immediately.”
In written testimony earlier this year, Ohio Veterinary Medical Association Executive Director Christopher Henney said that feral swine may carry at least 30 viral and bacterial diseases and nearly 40 parasites.
“By outlawing the hunting and importation of feral swine into the state, Ohio will continue to be a national leader in the agriculture and animal health industries,” Henney wrote.
Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) is one of the main voices of the Democrats who have supported the feral swine legislation and said this bill will help us keep ‘bringing home the bacon’ because it is proactive, not reactive for the state of Ohio.
In addition to Ohio Pork Council, the groups that have supported this legislation during its time in both statehouse chambers include Ohio Farm Bureau, Ohio Dairy Producers Association, Ohio Cattleman’s Association, Ohio Soybean Association, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, Ohio Poultry Association, Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association, and the Ohio Forestry Association.
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