Ohio voters decided Tuesday to create a livestock care board to oversee state animal welfare issues. Earning support from 63.66 percent of voters, the amendment will create a 13-member board of government-appointed officials to regulate livestock welfare.

Many Ohio State agriculture students feared that if the issue failed, their livelihoods would be endangered.

“I was scared of what the future would look like for Ohio’s agriculture,” said Kelsey Holter, a second-year in agricultural communications. “I’m so happy the people of Ohio want the experts in agriculture to come up with answers instead of people that have no experience in agriculture.”

Issue 2 was presented to voters as a means to avoid harsher legislation that had been passed in six other states banning livestock confinement practices. Crates for veal calves, gestation crates for sows and restrictive cages for hens were all opposed as part of an animal rights campaign fronted by the Humane Society of the United States.

Other students are concerned about their representation on the board, which could come from Bobby Moser, dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

“He doesn’t represent a lot of people in the agriculture college, especially the Environmental and Natural Resources department,” said Dani Deemer, a graduate student and member of Students for Food Sovereignty.

Justin Stiers, a member of ATZ FarmHouse, an agriculture-based fraternity, says the issue’s acceptance is an opportunity to ease conflict within the college and unite behind a common cause.

“Students of food or agriculture or natural resources all connect back to Issue 2. Everything goes back to it,” he said.

Officials at the Humane Society of the United States are not fazed by the passing of Issue 2.

“We expected the issue to pass,” said Paul Shapiro, director of the organization’s factory farming campaign. “We view this as an empty package that does not require any change.”

Regardless of the amendment, he said, Ohio will still need animal welfare reforms.

“Land grant universities would be wise to spend more resources promoting animal welfare instead of productivity,” he said, adding that universities traditionally pay little attention to animal welfare and focus mainly on increasing profits.

Steve Boyles, associate professor in the Animal Sciences department, will continue discussing the issue in his contemporary issues class, examining the board’s actions and functions.

Although the humane society has confirmed that they will continue to seek livestock welfare reform in Ohio, they have no definite timeline.

“We’re keeping our options open,” Shapiro said.

Casino’s coming to Ohio
Ohio voters also passed an amendment that allows a total of four casinos to be built in Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Toledo.

This is the fifth time the issue has been presented to voters and it passed with a margin of less than 6 percent.

Supporters of the 24-hour casinos have said it would boost the economy and create jobs for Ohioans, including students at OSU.

Opponents of the issue said it could lead to a higher demand for addiction services and could potentially reduce funding for higher education in Ohio.

The first casino is expected to be finished in 2012.