Line fence deadline approaching
By
John Grimes-
It is hard to believe that we have officially reached the fall season. While it seems to be a bit later than usual, we are seeing the beginning stages of foliage changing to the expected colors of the fall. The change to fall this year won’t be as dramatic since we didn’t experience our typically hot and humid summer. It probably will be too much to ask for a milder than usual fall after the summer that we experienced.
Deadline for establishing
Pre-Existing Line Fences
Changes last year to the Ohio Line Fence Law included a deadline of Sept. 30, 2009 for landowners to file an Affidavit of Pre-existing Line Fence. The affidavit procedure allows a landowner to certify under oath that a line fence existed on a property’s boundary line within the two years prior to the filing of the affidavit.
A landowner would want to file the affidavit to ensure that the law’s rule of equitable shares would apply if the owner wants to construct a replacement fence on the location. The equitable shares rule states that landowners adjoining the boundary line must share equitably in the cost of constructing and maintaining the fence. An equitable apportionment is made based upon a consideration of factors that attempt to allocate responsibility fairly, including presence of waterways, trees and vegetation; importance of marking the boundary line; risk of trespassers and use of the fence for containing livestock. Under this rule, each landowner may be partly responsible for the line fence.
If a land-owner cannot establish the presence of a pre-existing line fence, then the landowner who wants to build a new fence on the line would be completely responsible for all costs incurred in doing so. In addition to the Affidavit of Pre-existing Line Fence, an owner can prove a preexisting fence through evidence, such as remnants of the fence, a written agreement or assignment about the fence, photographs, or testimony.
The affidavit must be written and filed in accordance with Ohio law. OSU’s Agricultural and Resource Law Program has fact sheets to explain the Line Fence Law and the affidavit requirements. See our Web site at http://aede.osu.edu/programs/aglaw. The Ohio Farm Bureau has model affidavit documents; contact your local office. It’s also important to consult an attorney and ensure that the affidavit is in accordance with the law.
Oct. 16 Animal
Welfare Symposium
As animal agriculture comes under scrutiny and animal welfare issues are hotly debated, the time to become educated to proactively address animal welfare issues is now.
“Animal welfare is a prominent issue in Ohio and the U.S. and even the world. It’s a topic of interest to producers, consumers, veterinarians, health-care professionals, legislators and anyone who has a stake in sustainable animal agriculture,” said Naomi Botheras, animal welfare program specialist for Ohio State University Extension in the Department of Animal Sciences. “Because it is such an important topic that affects a lot of people, it’s important to become educated about the issue, participate in the conversation and get involved in the decision-making process.”
Informed decisions about animal welfare that will positively address the needs of animals, producers and consumers are based on understanding a wide range of perspectives. To better understand and proactively address farm animal welfare issues, the Department of Animal Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine are holding an Animal Welfare Symposium, “Building Partnerships to Address Animal Agriculture,” on Friday, Oct. 16 at the university’s Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210. Well-known animal welfare experts and social scientists from around the world will discuss the scientific, ethical, legal and social contexts embedded in the animal welfare debate.
“The symposium is an opportunity for people to hear a wide range of animal welfare perspectives, hear what other people are doing and discuss what needs to be done. It’s also a chance to learn from other countries about how they have handled animal welfare issues, so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel or more importantly so we don’t make the same mistakes they’ve made,” said Botheras who is co-organizing the event.[[In-content Ad]]
Deadline for establishing
Pre-Existing Line Fences
Changes last year to the Ohio Line Fence Law included a deadline of Sept. 30, 2009 for landowners to file an Affidavit of Pre-existing Line Fence. The affidavit procedure allows a landowner to certify under oath that a line fence existed on a property’s boundary line within the two years prior to the filing of the affidavit.
A landowner would want to file the affidavit to ensure that the law’s rule of equitable shares would apply if the owner wants to construct a replacement fence on the location. The equitable shares rule states that landowners adjoining the boundary line must share equitably in the cost of constructing and maintaining the fence. An equitable apportionment is made based upon a consideration of factors that attempt to allocate responsibility fairly, including presence of waterways, trees and vegetation; importance of marking the boundary line; risk of trespassers and use of the fence for containing livestock. Under this rule, each landowner may be partly responsible for the line fence.
If a land-owner cannot establish the presence of a pre-existing line fence, then the landowner who wants to build a new fence on the line would be completely responsible for all costs incurred in doing so. In addition to the Affidavit of Pre-existing Line Fence, an owner can prove a preexisting fence through evidence, such as remnants of the fence, a written agreement or assignment about the fence, photographs, or testimony.
The affidavit must be written and filed in accordance with Ohio law. OSU’s Agricultural and Resource Law Program has fact sheets to explain the Line Fence Law and the affidavit requirements. See our Web site at http://aede.osu.edu/programs/aglaw. The Ohio Farm Bureau has model affidavit documents; contact your local office. It’s also important to consult an attorney and ensure that the affidavit is in accordance with the law.
Oct. 16 Animal
Welfare Symposium
As animal agriculture comes under scrutiny and animal welfare issues are hotly debated, the time to become educated to proactively address animal welfare issues is now.
“Animal welfare is a prominent issue in Ohio and the U.S. and even the world. It’s a topic of interest to producers, consumers, veterinarians, health-care professionals, legislators and anyone who has a stake in sustainable animal agriculture,” said Naomi Botheras, animal welfare program specialist for Ohio State University Extension in the Department of Animal Sciences. “Because it is such an important topic that affects a lot of people, it’s important to become educated about the issue, participate in the conversation and get involved in the decision-making process.”
Informed decisions about animal welfare that will positively address the needs of animals, producers and consumers are based on understanding a wide range of perspectives. To better understand and proactively address farm animal welfare issues, the Department of Animal Sciences and the College of Veterinary Medicine are holding an Animal Welfare Symposium, “Building Partnerships to Address Animal Agriculture,” on Friday, Oct. 16 at the university’s Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center, 2201 Fred Taylor Drive, Columbus, Ohio 43210. Well-known animal welfare experts and social scientists from around the world will discuss the scientific, ethical, legal and social contexts embedded in the animal welfare debate.
“The symposium is an opportunity for people to hear a wide range of animal welfare perspectives, hear what other people are doing and discuss what needs to be done. It’s also a chance to learn from other countries about how they have handled animal welfare issues, so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel or more importantly so we don’t make the same mistakes they’ve made,” said Botheras who is co-organizing the event.[[In-content Ad]]