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The good news: public support for livestock farmers has remained strong.

The bad news: the animal rights movement is more coordinated, better funded and more focused than ever.

Animal rights groups receive nearly $300 million annually, according to Kay Johnson, executive vice president of the Animal Agriculture Alliance (AAA). Johnson spoke to nearly 150 people involved in animal agriculture at the Ohio Livestock Coalition's annual meeting and industry symposium in Columbus.

According to AAA, activist groups use strategies such as buying stock in a company so they can submit shareholder resolutions, stepping up legal action against livestock farms and circumventing the legislative process through ballot initiatives.

"It is no longer just a protest. It's gone way beyond what we would just consider wacky," Johnson said.

She noted some activist groups masquerade as organizations that want to protect the environment or save the family farm, but their ultimate goal is to end animal agriculture. She also warned that laws that propose changing the term "animal owner" to "animal guardian" may appear innocent but would change the legal requirements for the treatment of animals.

"It's a very, very slippery slope," she said.

The emergence of an "ethical consumer" has led some food retailers to begin using animal welfare standards as a marketing strategy, she said, which could affect requirements for how farmers treat their animals.

While factors such as price and quality remain the drivers of consumers' decisions, some companies in the United States and Europe are drawing customers by boasting better animal treatment.

Johnson said this trend is happening in the niche market but questioned what impact it will have on livestock farmers in the future as individual companies develop their own animal welfare standards.

"If you're selling products to five different companies, how many standards are you going to have to meet?" she asked.

Rick Malir, president of Columbus-based City Barbecue, said he sees the food industry headed toward organic and all natural products.

"I don't think that's a fad; I think that's a trend," he said.

Malir said his company faces some of the same challenges as livestock farmers.

"The rules and regulations are getting crazy for you in production agriculture. The same is true in the restaurant business," he said.

Wayne Smith of South Dakota's Ag United said Ohio should fight against the local regulation of livestock farms, noting that livestock producers may decide not to file for a permit to expand their operation to avoid public scrutiny.

"The local control puts neighbor against neighbor in many cases," he said.

Johnson said Ohio livestock farmers need to defend their rights to farm and should have a good relationship with their legislators.

"They need to know who to call when they are presented with issues that will affect your business," she said.

Caption: Bryan Black accepts the 2005 Neighbor of the Year award on behalf of Ned Black & Sons hog farm at the Ohio Livestock Coalition annual meeting. The Blacks were recognized for earning the respect of neighbors after an 85-home subdivision was built across the street from their fourth generation family farm.