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Beginning this year, there will be a different look to many pigs being shown at the Ohio State Fair and statewide county fairs due to a ban on the use of the feed additive ractopamine.
Ractopamine, simply put, converts fat to muscle and is a very popular product in the show pig industry. Although ractopamine is legal, licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and has been used safely in the pork industry for over 40 years, one of America’s largest trading partners will no longer accept pork that has been produced using the substance.
“China, because of a very serious outbreak of African Swine Fever in their hog herds, is now starting to buy more pork from the U.S. and has decided that they will not take any products from swine that have been fed ractopamine at any point in their lifetime,” said Dr. Tony Forshey, state veterinarian with the Ohio Department of Agriculture. “That creates a marketability issue for all swine and as a result, packers that ship internationally have stated that they will no longer slaughter pigs that have been fed the additive so they can maintain their market access to China.”
Many pigs that are shown during fair season are delivered to packers that ship pork products all over the globe. Because of that, fair boards across Ohio are protecting themselves from liability concerns by having exhibitors sign an affidavit at weigh-in to say that the exhibits have never been fed ractopamine.
“A half-life for ractopamine is only 24 hours so after 48 hours you are probably not going to find it in the urine, but it will remain in the organs for the lifetime of a fair pig,” Forshey said. “If exhibitors wanted to go a step further they may want to consider getting the same type of form signed when they buy a pig from a producer or at a jackpot or club show to ensure that ractopamine has never been a part of the pig’s diet.”
An affidavit has been created by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) and distributed by the Ohio Pork Council to assist county and independent fairs insure that pigs shown are ractopamine free.
“This affidavit is a consistent, fair way to respond to international market access. ODA strongly recommends the uniform use of this affidavit as being in the best interest of our young exhibitors,” said ODA Director Dorothy Pelanda. “I have serious questions for fairs who object to the use of this affidavit. Prohibiting the use of ractopamine in all fair activities will level the playing field and provide liability protection to our fair boards. This process allows for swine exhibitors to have access to local markets as well.”
Export markets currently reflect more than 25% of the value of the U.S. pork industry and maintaining that level of trade is vital for Ohio farmers.
“The primary reason that ractopamine needs to be removed from exhibition swine project diets is the economic impact on the entire swine and agricultural industry,” said Roger High, Ohio Farm Bureau’s director of livestock. “The loss of pork export markets would of course affect the pork industry, but it would also have repercussions for the feed grain industry and the economic impact would be felt across the entire agricultural spectrum.”
My first recommendation in your journey is to start out with a local farming friend or mentor along with joining an organization like Ohio Farm Bureau.
We’re just so thankful for the Farm Bureau and the foundation for helping put this together. And of course, the Boyert family for the vision they had with this grant. It’s jumping us forward 10 years. It’s unbelievable.
I could not have done it without the resources I have found through Farm Bureau.
It wasn’t until I joined the Wilmington College Collegiate Farm Bureau that I truly saw how my passion could translate into leadership, advocacy and a career.
The issue of property taxation remains as one of the biggest challenges our members face today. Ensuring agricultural property is valued for its agricultural potential and not development is critical to the continued success of Ohio agriculture.
Through the Select Partner program, we became educated in farm insurance and weren't just selling policies. It became more and more clear why farmers need an advocate like Ohio Farm Bureau.
So many of the issues that OFBF and its members are advocating for are important to all Ohioans. I look at OFBF as an agricultural watchdog advocating for farmers and rural communities across Ohio.
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