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Farmers and preserve owners warn HB 503 could harm small operators, urge sponsor talks
Summary
Opponents and interested parties at the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee hearing said House Bill 503’s restrictions on garbage‑fed swine and feral hog definitions risk harming small farms and licensed preserves; committee members encouraged affected parties to work with sponsors and the Department of Agriculture.
The committee convened a third hearing on House Bill 503, which includes language aimed at controlling feral swine and limiting practices related to garbage‑feeding of swine. Opponents and interested parties told the committee they had concerns about the bill’s scope and potential impacts on small or long‑standing lawful operations.
Wayne Schindler, owner of Woodland Urban Farm LLC, testified in opposition and described his food‑waste recycling business in Franklin County. Schindler said his operation collects prepared food scraps from licensed retail food establishments and, consistent with Ohio Revised Code chapter 942 licensing practice, cooks those scraps before feeding them to animals. "The present chapter 942 ... requires licensees to boil any food scraps for 30 minutes, agitating it during that boiling before it can be fed to pigs," Schindler said, and he argued the bill as written could jeopardize operations like his.
Senators asked whether Schindler had testified in the House and encouraged him to meet with bill sponsors and the Department of Agriculture to seek clarifications or carve‑outs. Ranking Member Hicks Hudson and Vice Chair Landis suggested the business pursue sponsor conversations; the chair offered legislative staff assistance to connect him with sponsors.
Butch Alexander, owner of a licensed hunting preserve in southeastern Ohio, testified as an interested party. Alexander said he supports efforts to halt importation of wild boar that could carry brucellosis or pseudorabies, but he warned that broad definitions of "feral" could make lawful, longstanding operations illegal. "If you pass this legislation, what are you gonna do with me? I haven't broken any laws," Alexander said, asking whether the committee would consider grandfathering or compensation for permitted operations.
Chair Schafer noted written proponent testimony from groups like the Ohio Soybean Association and closed the third hearing on HB 503; no committee vote was taken during the meeting.
