A LITTLE TOUGHER FOR HSUS IN OHIO Here’s How We Can Make it

“As an organization representing the interests of Ohio’s pork industry, we firmly believe that this initiative will enhance the integrity and effectiveness of the state’s constitutional amendment process,” says Cheryl Day, Executive Vice President of the Ohio Pork Council. “By raising the threshold required for making constitutional changes as called for by Issue 1, we can ensure that future constitutional changes are not made haphazardly or without substantial consensus.”

Across the country, state ballot initiatives pave the way for citizens to drive change by proposing laws and constitutional amendments without the need for support of the governor or legislature.

What is Issue 1?

While amending a state’s constitutional foundation stands as a right of citizens and selfgovernance, it should not be a tool left wide open for exploitation by increasingly hostile special interest groups to push their own agenda. We have already experienced this in Ohio, and now most recently in California and Massachusetts, again.

Issue 1 is a ballot initiative asking Ohio voters to approve an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Ohio on August 8. It would strengthen the process for approving constitutional amendments by raising the threshold requirements for the necessary votes and signatures.

Why vote “YES” on Aug. 8?

Issue 1 is a critical moment for Ohio’s grassroots democracy, especially for protecting our farms and small businesses. We must unite against wealthy, out-of-state activists who aim to control our agricultural practices. Their exploitative legislation and deceptive tactics directly threaten Ohio’s agriculture industry, jeopardizing the livelihoods of our farmers and small businesses—the very people who work tirelessly to feed our nation.

Agriculture, and too often the pork industry specifically, is the target of ballot initiatives created by those who seek to dictate on-farm practices with their activist agendas. Groups such as the Humane Society of the United States deliberately prey on states with easier processes to pass ballot measures, imposing harmful regulations on food-animal agriculture. California Prop 12 and Massachusetts Q3 are glaring examples of how special interest groups specifically look for ways to game the system. With the recent court victory for those supporting California’s Prop 12, special interest groups have renewed motivation and confidence to craft new anti-agriculture regulations.

Voting YES on Issue 1 ensures that future amendments require a 60% majority and representation from all 88 Ohio counties. Passing this measure will help safeguard our access to affordable and safe food by ensuring more than just a marginal majority have influence over our state, including rural communities closest to agriculture. By standing together and voting YES on Issue 1, we can protect Ohio’s farms, small businesses, and families from harmful external influences.

If I vote “YES,” what will it do exactly?

Ohio’s pork industry remains vulnerable to activist groups who want to dictate how we raise pigs, often with an ultimate end goal of eliminating food-animal production altogether. This is why we must take action to protect the Ohio Constitution. However, it should not be done haphazardly. The process should be fair and equitable.

As proposed, the measure makes the voice of rural voters stronger and broadens the opportunity to include all communities in the Constitution Amendment process. Currently, to put a measure on a state-wide ballot only requires collecting signatures in just half of Ohio counties. Issue 1 would require at least 5% of eligible voters of each 88 counties to sign the petition. If passed, Issue 1 also would require any future proposed Constitution Amendments to receive the approval of at least 60% of the eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment.

While we cannot build an iron-clad fortress to keep HSUS from dictating pork production in Ohio, we can strengthen the process to amend the state’s constitution. This is exactly why Ohio Pork Council, along with the business community, supports Issue 1. The proposed amendment appearing on the August 8 special election ballot makes sure the rural voice matters by requiring more votes to pass a ballot initiative. More importantly, it means any measure to appear on ballot must collect signatures from all 88 counties.

What does Issue 1 not do?

Issue 1 strengthens the constitutional amendment process by 1) raising the bar for voter approval of at least 60% of eligible voters voting on the proposed amendment and 2) requiring signatures on petitions filed from at least 5% of the eligible voters of each of the 88 counties.

The proposal under Issue 1 only applies to constitutional changes here in Ohio, and the initiated petition process to amend Ohio law remains unchanged.

Why is Ohio Pork Council supporting Issue 1?

While we cannot build an iron-clad fortress to keep HSUS from dictating pork production in Ohio, we can strengthen the process to amend the state’s constitution.

The pork industry remains vulnerable to activist groups who want to dictate how we raise pigs often with an end goal of eliminating food-animal production altogether. Too often, the Ohio pork industry is the target of ballot initiatives that help with this activist agenda. With the recent court victory for those supporting California’s Prop 12, special interest groups have renewed motivation and confidence to craft new anti-agriculture regulations. Amending the Ohio Constitution should not be an easy target for groups to provoke harm to the Ohio pork industry and entire state, which is why approving Issue 1 is so critical to preventing this possibility.

To pass Issue 1, we need rural Ohioans to show up big on August 8 and vote “Yes.” Let’s work together and make it a little tougher for HSUS. Help Ohio Pork spread the word and encourage Ohio voters to go to the poll on August 8 and vote YES! See sharable flyer and FAQ document at ohiopork.org/issue1.

I am in! How do we get it passed?

To pass Issue 1, we need rural Ohioans to show up big and vote. There are three ways you can vote:

1) Vote early in person

2) Vote by absentee 3) Vote on August 8