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Jeff
Wuebker, Featured Speaker for the Darke County Chamber of Commerce
annual Agricultural Appreciation
Luncheon, talked about his role as a
member of the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board.
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Wuebker Honored at Ag
Luncheon
By Beverly Hughes, Senior Scribe
www.darkecountyseniors.us
For Darke County agricultural statistics, click here
“Everything we do is in the sunshine,” said Jeff Wuebker, referring to
his year-long position with the Ohio Livestock Care Standards (OLCS)
Board. Wuebker was the keynote speaker on Friday, March 18 at the
Agriculture Appreciation Luncheon sponsored by the Darke County Chamber
of Commerce.
What Wuebker didn’t know is that he and his brother Alan would be
honored with an award at the event. The Chamber’s Agri-Business
Committee, led by Matt Aultman, created two awards to honor local
farmers in areas of advocacy and agri-production. Janet Rhoades,
local volunteer leading the Farm Safety Program, “4 Just Kids,” won the
advocacy award. Rhoades said her interest in farm safety began
when she realized the immense dangers for youth who work on the family
farm with parents and grandparents. She learned about the Farm
Safety Program and began, with a group of friends to develop and share
it all around the area. “It is still critical that we get the
word out about safety practices to protect our children and the future
of farming in Ohio,” Rhoades said.
Jeff and Alan Wuebker of Wuebker Farms LLC, Versailles, won the
Agri-Business production award. But the Chamber’s award for the
family’s many accomplishments to protect and secure family farming was
not the brothers’ first award. A year ago, Jeff and Alan received
the 2010 Ohio Pork Producers Council’s Environmental Stewardship Award.
That annual award recognizes family farmers who are leaders in
conserving the state’s natural resources of air, land, and water
quality.
The honorees at the recent Darke County Ag Luncheon received
proclamations and congratulations from numerous government and civic
leaders, including Jim Buchy. He noted, “These families are
doing (farming) business for all the right reasons.”
To begin his presentation, Jeff Wuebker offered thanks to his brother,
other family members and many local farmers who have supported his own
farming business while he attended “an unbelievable 80 meetings since
June 2010 for the OLCS Board.” He also honored his own high school
(Versailles, 1989) “mentor,” Sam Custer, who was in the room.
The OLCS Board was formed in 2009 in response to the passage of State
Issue 2. As Agriculture is Ohio’s top industry, the board
was to address best practices of livestock care through the
recommendations of a 13-member panel including farmers, those with
scientific and technological interests in agriculture and from public
input. Wuebker was assigned to the Board in April, 2010.
The Board has addressed topics such as disabled and distressed
livestock, civil penalty rules, the caged animal’s turn-around issues
and animal euthanasia. Wuebker said he focused on standards
surrounding the (chicken) Layer Subcommittee and the (turkey) Broiler
Subcommittee and that he attended all Swine Subcommittee
meetings. He noted that the Board also serves several other
species of livestock, i.e.: veal, alpaca- llama, beef, etc.
Wuebker discussed the recent regulations of animal euthanasia which are
now part of the civil code. He also explained that civil
penalties are not criminal penalties but are divided, like
misdemeanors, into minor and major categories for penalty
assessment. “These civil penalties are complaint-driven and would
be investigated,” noted Wuebker. “The OLCS Board will not go out
looking for farmers to punish.” In addition, he reported
that any fines collected will go into the Ohio General Revenue Fund and
will not support the ODA (Ohio Department of Agriculture) or the OLCS
Board.
When asked what has most impressed him regarding his tenure with the
OLCS Board, Jeff Wuebker noted the eagerness with which the Board
pursues public participation, “Everything we do is out in the open or
‘in the sunshine.’ Every meeting we have reserves a period for
the public to speak to us. Every one of my emails and all communication
among board members is public record.”
Wuebker urged the audience to “stay tuned” as he expects current
activity of the OLCS Board to produce recommendations for Ohio farming…
“which may become more controversial.” For updates, visit
www.ohiolivestockcarestandardsboard.gov.
For Darke County agricultural statistics, click here
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The
event was well-attended at Romer’s Catering in Greenville.
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Chamber
Agriculture Committee Chairman Matt Aultman,
Keller Grain & Feed,
spoke to the group briefly before presenting
the speakers.
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Janet
Rhoades, local volunteer leading the Farm Safety
Program,
“4 Just Kids,” won the advocacy award.
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Jeff
and Alan Wuebker of Wuebker Farms LLC,
Versailles,
won the Agri-Business production award.
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Darke County Municipal Court Judge Julie Monnin,
left, and Senior Scribe Beverly Hughes.
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State Rep. Jim Buchy (Dist. 77) and Darke County
Commissioner Mike Stegall.
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