State Representative Jim Buchy (R-Greenville) today attended the ceremonial signing of House Bill 229, which will make a number of changes to Ohio law in order to allow for added flexibility, interaction and efficiency in the Ohio Department of Agriculture’s regulatory interactions.

The provisions for the bill were developed in collaboration with the Ohio Department of Agriculture under the leadership of Director Zehringer (Fort Recovery). These provisions are all part of a plan to bring agri-business and jobs to Ohio.

Representative Buchy said, “I was pleased to work with leadership on both sides of the isle to make these needed revisions to Ohio law. The updates will be an asset to the Department of Agriculture and encourage agri-business to grow in Ohio.”

Among other measures, House Bill 229 will:

• Enable the Ohio Grape Industry to provide local producers with grape plants, grape vines, equipment and material to assist in the production of grapes and grape products.

• Renames three existing divisions in the Department of Agriculture to allow for reorganization of the roles within the department.

• Provides an alternative option for the permitting of major concentrated feeding facilities when local governments have not formerly submitted final recommendations within 75 days of initial notification of application for a permit

• Add dissolution by alkaline hydrolysis to the existing forms of disposal that an owner must use when disposing of a dead animal

• Revise the exemption from retail food establishment licensure for certain nonprofit organizations that raise funds by selling foods

• Prohibit a licensed livestock dealer or broker from employing a person whose dealer’s or broker’s license was revoked or is suspended

House Bill 229 was introduced in May and received strong bipartisan support in the legislature.