The death last week of a 24-year-old Lorain man who was mauled by a bear was a tragic end to a young life. Brent Kandra's family and friends are grief-stricken, and a community is left to wonder what could have prevented this senseless loss.

What's deeply saddening is that this young man's death could have been prevented. Basic laws forbidding private citizens from keeping dangerous wild animals are needed before another person is killed or injured in a similar manner and more animals are allowed to suffer at the hands of people who have no business owning them.

Concessions by farmers in this state to sharply restrict the close confinement of hens, hogs and veal calves are the latest sign that so-called factory farming  — a staple of modern agriculture that is seen by critics as inhumane and a threat to the environment and health — is on the verge of significant change.

On June 30, a historic agreement was reached by Ohio agriculture leaders and Ohioans for Humane Farms. The agreement, facilitated by Gov. Ted Strickland, will lead to the adoption of a wide array of laws and policies that will improve the welfare of animals on Ohio's farms, regulate puppy mills, increase penalties for cockfighting, and outlaw private ownership of dangerous exotic animals.

Faced with the prospect of a ballot issue in November that would have set considerably more-humane standards for the care of farm animals, the Ohio Farm Bureau blinked. Unfortunately, that blink will appear more like a wink to chickens and hogs that will continue to live in unbearable conditions on Ohio's factory farms

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland and the Humane Society of the United States agreed to more humane treatment of chickens, cows and pigs as well as agreeing to push for the passage of  the anti-puppy mill bill now pending in the Ohio Legislature. Also included in the agreement will be felony level penalties for cock-fighting and a ban on imported exotic animals including alligators, chimps, and bears entering the state. People who currently own those animals will be allowed to keep them.

Phase-out of extreme confinement systems for breeding pigs and veal calves; immediate moratorium on battery cage construction and other animal welfare reforms to be implemented; Gains in the making on puppy mills, cockfighting and exotic pet trade.

A deal struck among The Humane Society of the United States, Ohioans for Humane Farms, Ohio agriculture leaders and Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland will lead to major animal welfare improvements in Ohio on a raft of issues, reforming industry practices and improving prospects for adoption of critical legislation in other areas. The agreement puts a hold on a planned factory farming initiative on the fall ballot.

More than 400,000 Ohioans have supported an effort to place a citizen-backed anti-cruelty measure on the ballot this November, despite continued intimidation and harassment from members of the Ohio Farm Bureau and their factory farm operatives.  Due to the efforts of a large volunteer base, Ohioans for Humane Farms (OHF) is firmly on track to submit the necessary signatures next week. 

At a minimum, tens of thousands of salmonella-contaminated eggs are produced in Ohio every year. Ohioans deserve better. Every single scientific study published in recent years has found that the extreme caged confinement of hens significantly increases salmonella risk. That's why the Center for Food Safety, the Consumer Federation of America and other food-safety experts have endorsed the proposed Ohio ballot measure to phase out this cruel and dangerous practice.

When agribusiness cruelties like the vicious torture at Conklin Dairy Farms in Union County are caught on video or otherwise exposed, factory-farm apologists often assert that such inhumane practices are “isolated incidents” and that such cruelty is the responsibility of “bad actors.

At the request of readers, here is some information about how to become involved in the petition effort to establish standards for the treatment of farm animals in Ohio.  Several people requested the information after reading an article in last week’s CityBeat about the effort to collect enough signatures to get the Ohio Livestock Care Initiative, a proposed constitutional amendment, on the November ballot.

Farm Sanctuary is collecting signatures to get the Ohio Livestock Care Initiative, a proposed constitutional amendment, on the November ballot. The groups need to collect 402,275 valid signatures by June 29.

The Humane Society is working to prevent what it considers cruel factory farming practices, such as keeping animals in spaces so small they can barely move. They are backing Ohio for Humane Farms' initiative to add a measure toNovember's ballot.

Readers respond to “The Fox Guarding the Hen House?”

A coalition of animal welfare, environmental, and veterinary organizations known as Ohioans for Humane Farms has written a petition that requires the Livestock Care Standards Board to observe three minimum standards for cows, poultry, and pigs.

Ohio Fresh Eggs, the state's largest egg producer, operates what was previously known as Buckeye Egg Farm. The new company bought the assets in 2004 after Buckeye Egg Farm, facing environmental complaints from the state -- including fly infestations and manure leaks -- went out of business.

Karen Minton, campaign manager for Ohioans for Humane Farms, issued the following statement in response to a fire that destroyed a shed and caused the deaths of about a quarter million egg-laying hens at an Ohio Fresh Eggs factory farm.

Backers of an Ohio animal rights amendment kick off a statewide petition drive Saturday to get it on the Nov. 2 ballot.

On Tuesday, after a hearing on a proposed anti-cruelty measure intended for the November 2010 election, the Ohio Ballot Board approved the measure for circulation for signature collection by a unanimous vote.

In November, Ohio voters easily approved Issue 2 which set up a livestock care standards board to oversee the treatment of farm animals in the state. Groups like the Ohio Farm Bureau considered it a victory for the care of livestock and a victory to keep activist groups from dictating care standards. This November, the battle might happen all over again.

The HSUS is taking action to address cruelty to farm animal welfare in Ohio. Along with groups including Farm Sanctuary, the Ohio SPCA, the Consumer Federation of America, the Ohio Sierra Club, several local humane societies, the Center for Food Safety, and other allies, we filed an initiative petition with the Attorney General of Ohio to direct the state’s newly constituted Livestock Board to set certain minimum humane standards that will prevent some of the worst and most inhumane and unsafe practices in industrial agriculture in Ohio.

Ohioans for Humane Farms submitted a petition—including signatures from Ohio voters in 48 counties, demonstrating broad and regionally diverse support—to Ohio's Attorney General in support of placing an anti-cruelty measure on the statewide November ballot.