Whitetail Deer Farmers of Ohio gather to raise awareness and funding
Approximately 350 people, members of the Whitetail Deer Farmers of Ohio (WDFO) and their families, gathered at the Buckeye Event Center in Dalton for the group's spring meeting and fundraising auction March 13. The eight-year-old organization exists to promote the business of raising deer, provide educational opportunities, serve as a collective voice in governmental issues and promote high ethical standards in the deer farming industry.While the WDFO is more than just a political group, it does have a political action fund. Lobbyists Chris Slagle and Greg Lestini of Columbus spoke at the meeting, informing members about an upcoming bill in the Ohio legislature that affects whitetail deer farmers. "This bill allows the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) to regulate whitetail deer farming rather than the ODNR (Ohio Department of Natural Resources)," said board member Levi Mast. "It does not affect the management of wild deer or hunting."
House Bill 410 and Senate Bill 225 were introduced in the Ohio legislature in January. The Whitetail Deer Farmers of Ohio support the bills. "The ODA is the agency that best suits our industry—we are an alternative agricultural industry. Deer farms are already monitored and disease testing is managed by programs that are under the ODA anyway," said board member Curt Waldvogel. He noted that many other states have passed similar bills in recent years. The ODNR opposes the legislation.
Ivan Kerr of www.deertraders.com and Gary Horrisberger of Holmes Laboratory also shared their expertise with the members throughout the morning. After lunch, donated items were auctioned as a fundraiser for the association. These included deer, furniture, gun cabinets, deer and turkey blinds, fishing trips, meals and more. An invitation to dinner and a game of Rook at one local board member's home, with the losers to make a donation to the WDFO, brought lots of laughter and a winning bid of $1,600. Treasurer Aden Hochstetler said the auction generated almost $45,000 altogether.
Whitetail deer farming is a $59.2 million industry in Ohio and provides more than 1,200 jobs. Ohio ranks third in the nation as a deer farming state, behind Texas and Pennsylvania, with 440 commercial deer farms. Holmes and Wayne counties are ranked first and second in the state. Whitetail deer farmers market venison, antlers, deer urine and scent as well as breeding stock. Some preserves offer private hunting, nature photography shoots and lodging. The industry brings tourists in from outside the state to hunt and to buy and sell animals.
"An important part of the industry is that a family can still make a living on a small acreage," Mast said. "The average deer farm is small, around 10 acres, and it can be done on even less."
"People are struggling to keep their farms these days," added board member Carolyn Laughlin. "The money from raising deer has helped people keep farms in the family by diversifying their income. It also allows people to farm land that can't be used for anything else." Laughlin raises deer on part of her own farm that is otherwise unsuitable for farming.
Horrisberger is also enthusiastic about the deer farming industry. "Deer farming is something the whole family can get involved with," he said. "A lot of people do it as a sideline to a woodworking business or other small business." Holmes Laboratory offers water and soil testing to help ensure that the deer are receiving the highest quality water and forage, which translates into larger antlers and better body condition. For information about the Whitetail Deer Farmers of Ohio, visit their Web site at www.thewdfo.com.