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The Legislative Service Commission staff updates the Revised Code on an ongoing basis, as it completes its act review of enacted legislation. Updates may be slower during some times of the year, depending on the volume of enacted legislation.

Chapter 943 | Livestock Dealers

 
 
 
Section
Section 943.01 | Livestock dealer definitions.
 

As used in this chapter:

(A) "Animals" or "livestock" means horses, mules, and other equidae, cattle, sheep, and goats and other bovidae, swine and other suidae, poultry, alpacas, llamas, and monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status.

(B) "Dealer" or "broker" means any person found by the department of agriculture buying, receiving, selling, slaughtering, with the exception of those persons designated by division (B)(1) of section 918.10 of the Revised Code, exchanging, negotiating, or soliciting the sale, resale, exchange, or transfer of any animals in an amount of more than two hundred fifty head of cattle, horses, or other equidae or five hundred head of sheep, goats, or other bovidae, swine and other suidae, poultry, alpacas, llamas, or monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status during any one year. "Dealer" or "broker" does not mean any of the following:

(1) Any railroad or other carrier transporting animals either interstate or intrastate;

(2) Any person who by dispersal sale is permanently discontinuing the business of farming, dairying, breeding, raising, or feeding animals;

(3) Any person who sells livestock that has been raised from birth on the premises of the person;

(4) Any person who buys or receives animals for grazing or feeding purposes at a premises owned or controlled by the person and sells or disposes of the animals after the minimum grazing or feeding period of thirty days;

(5) Any person who places livestock in facilities other than the person's own pursuant to a written agreement for feeding or finishing, provided that the person retains legal and equitable title to the livestock during the term of the agreement.

The exemptions set forth in divisions (B)(1) to (5) of this section are exclusive of those activities requiring licensure under sections 943.01 to 943.18 of the Revised Code, so that a person shall be deemed to be a dealer or broker or subject to divisions (B)(1) to (5) of this section, but shall not be, or be subject to, both. No person who is a licensed dealer or broker and whose license is suspended shall have livestock or animals exempted pursuant to divisions (B)(1) to (5) of this section.

(C) "Employee" means any person employed by a dealer or broker to act in the dealer's or broker's behalf to buy, sell, exchange, negotiate, or solicit sale or resale of animals in the dealer's or broker's name.

(D) "Small dealer" means any person found by the department buying, receiving, selling, slaughtering, with the exception of those persons designated by division (B)(1) of section 918.10 of the Revised Code, exchanging, negotiating, or soliciting the sale, resale, exchange, or transfer of any animals in an amount of two hundred fifty head or less of cattle, horses, or other equidae or five hundred head or less of sheep, goats, or other bovidae, swine or other suidae, poultry, alpacas, llamas, or monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status during any one year.

(E) "Captive whitetail deer licensee" means a person who has been issued a license under section 943.03 or 943.031 of the Revised Code and a license under section 1533.71 or 1533.721 of the Revised Code regarding monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status.

(F) "Chronic wasting disease" has the same meaning as in 9 C.F.R. 55.1.

(G) "Captive deer with status" means captive white-tailed deer that have been legally acquired or their offspring, are part of a herd that is monitored and tested for disease in accordance with rules, and are privately owned primarily for the purposes of agriculture, propagation, or providing captive deer to a wild animal hunting preserve licensed under section 1533.721 of the Revised Code.

(H) "Captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status" means captive white-tailed deer that have been legally acquired or their offspring, are part of a herd that has been monitored and tested for disease in accordance with rules, including tested for chronic wasting disease for at least five consecutive years in accordance with rules, are privately owned primarily for the purposes of agriculture, propagation, or providing deer to a wild animal hunting preserve licensed under section 1533.721 of the Revised Code, and are certified "with status" in accordance with rules.

(I) "Monitored captive deer" means whitetail deer that have been legally acquired or their offspring, are tested for chronic wasting disease in accordance with rules, and are held in private ownership for agricultural or personal purposes or in a wild animal hunting preserve licensed under section 1533.721 of the Revised Code.

(J) "Rule" means a rule adopted under section 943.24 of the Revised Code.

Section 943.02 | License required.
 

(A) No person shall act as a small dealer, dealer, or broker without first being licensed. No person shall be an employee of more than one small dealer, dealer, or broker. Except as provided in division (B) of this section, no person holding a license as a small dealer, dealer, or broker shall be an employee. No employee shall act for any small dealer, dealer, or broker unless the small dealer, dealer, or broker is licensed, and has designated the employee to act in the small dealer's, dealer's, or broker's behalf and has notified the department of agriculture in the application for license or has given official notice in writing of the appointment of the employee. The small dealer, dealer, or broker shall be accountable and responsible for all contracts pertaining to the purchase, exchange, or sale of livestock made by the employee. The small dealer, dealer, or broker who terminates the services of an employee shall notify the department in writing of the employee's termination. No person who is a licensed small dealer, dealer, or broker shall have livestock exempted pursuant to divisions (B)(1) to (6) of section 943.01 of the Revised Code.

(B)(1) No person who has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of this chapter or rules adopted under it shall act as an owner, supervisor, employee, contractor, volunteer, or agent of a person licensed under this chapter unless specifically authorized to do so by the director of agriculture.

(2) The offense established under division (B)(1) of this section is a strict liability offense and section 2901.20 of the Revised Code does not apply. The designation of this offense as a strict liability offense shall not be construed to imply that any other offense, for which there is no specified degree of culpability, is not a strict liability offense.

(C) A small dealer, dealer, or broker may be an employee of other small dealers, dealers, or brokers only when the small dealer, dealer, or broker so employed is a soliciting agent for a video auction.

(D) The director shall define by rule "soliciting agent" and "video auction" for the purposes of this section.

Section 943.03 | Application for license.
 

(A)(1) Application for a license as a dealer or broker shall be made in writing to the department of agriculture. The application shall state the nature of the business, the municipal corporation, township, and county, and the post-office address of the location where the business is to be conducted, the name of any employee authorized to act in the dealer's or broker's behalf, and such additional information as the department prescribes.

The applicant shall satisfy the department of the applicant's good faith in seeking to engage in such business. The department shall issue to the applicant a license to conduct the business of a dealer or broker at the place named in the application. Licenses, unless revoked, shall expire annually on the thirty-first day of March and shall be renewed according to the standard renewal procedure of sections 4745.01 to 4745.03 of the Revised Code.

(2) No license shall be issued by the department to a dealer or broker having weighing facilities until the applicant has filed with the department a copy of a scale test certificate showing the weighing facilities to be in satisfactory condition, a copy of the license of each weigher employed by the applicant, and a certificate of inspection by the department showing livestock market facilities to be in satisfactory sanitary condition.

(3) Except as provided in division (A)(4) of this section, no license shall be issued by the department until the applicant has furnished proof of financial responsibility. Except as provided in division (C) of this section, such proof may be in the following forms:

(a) A bond of a surety company authorized to do business in this state in the form prescribed by and to the satisfaction of the department, conditioned for the payment of a judgment against the applicant furnishing the bond and arising out of the failure of such dealer or broker to pay for the livestock purchased for the dealer's or broker's own or for the accounts of others or to pay when due to the person entitled thereto the gross amount, less lawful charges, for which all of the livestock is sold. The amount of bond required, the termination of the bond, and the limitation on filing claims against the dealer or broker or their surety shall be the same as prescribed in division (B) of this section.

(b) A deposit with a trustee acceptable to the department of the required amount in money or negotiable bonds of the United States or of this state or of a political subdivision of this state of that par or face value, or any combination thereof, for the purpose of securing the payment of a judgment against the dealer or broker furnishing the deposit and arising out of the failure of the dealer or broker to pay for the livestock purchased for the dealer's or broker's own or for the accounts of others, or to pay when due to the person entitled thereto the gross amount, less lawful charges, for which all of the livestock is sold. The deposit shall be made under a deposit agreement acceptable to the department. The deposit is not subject to attachment for any other claim or levy of execution upon a judgment based on any other claims.

(4) An applicant for a license as a dealer or broker of poultry is not required to maintain financial responsibility or furnish proof of financial responsibility.

(B) Any person damaged by failure of a dealer or broker to pay for the livestock purchased for the dealer's or broker's or for the accounts of others or to pay when due to the person entitled thereto the gross amount, less lawful charges, for which all of the livestock is sold may maintain an action against the broker or dealer and the sureties on the bonds, or the trustee, provided for in this section. The aggregate liability of the sureties or trustee for all such damage shall not exceed the amount of the bond or deposit.

Unless the person damaged files a claim with the dealer or broker and the sureties or trustee within sixty days from the date of the transaction on which the claim is based, the person shall be barred from maintaining an action on the bond or for the application of the deposit. Upon the filing of a claim, the claimant shall notify the department of that action.

The amount of the bond or deposit shall not be less than the nearest multiple of one thousand dollars above the average daily value of livestock sold by the dealer or broker for the accounts of others and livestock purchased by the dealer or broker for the dealer's or broker's or for the accounts of others on the dealer's or broker's ten largest business days during the preceding twelve months or such part thereof as the dealer or broker was purchasing, selling, or exchanging livestock. In no case shall the amount of the bond or deposit total less than ten thousand dollars.

Whenever the amount of bond or deposit calculated as above specified exceeds fifty thousand dollars, the amount of the bond shall be fifty thousand dollars plus ten per cent of the valuation in excess of fifty thousand dollars.

In no case shall the bond or deposit covering the business of the dealer or broker be less than the amount specified above or such higher amount as may be specified by the "Packer and Stockyards Act of 1921," 42 Stat. 159, 7 U.S.C.A. 181, as amended.

Whenever in the judgment of the department the business volume of the licensee is such as to render the bond or deposit inadequate, the amount of the bond or deposit shall be adjusted, upon thirty days' notice, to meet sections 943.01 to 943.18 of the Revised Code and rules adopted under them. All of the bonds or deposit agreements shall contain a provision requiring that at least thirty days' prior notice in writing be given to the department and the packers and stockyards administration of the United States department of agriculture by the party terminating the bonds or deposit agreements in order to effect termination, except that a bond may be terminated as of the effective date of a replacement bond.

The termination of a bond shall not release the parties from any liability arising out of facts or transactions occurring prior to the termination date.

The termination of a deposit agreement shall neither release the party furnishing the deposit from any liability arising out of acts or transactions occurring prior to the termination date, nor shall the trustee permit the withdrawal of the deposit until after sixty days after the termination date, and then only if no claims under the agreement have been filed with the trustee. If any claims have been filed with the trustee, the withdrawal of the deposit shall not be permitted until the claims have been satisfied or released and evidence of the satisfaction or release filed with the trustee.

(C) If approved by the director of agriculture, in lieu of the bond or deposit required in division (A)(3) of this section, a broker or dealer subject to the "Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921," 42 Stat. 159, 7 U.S.C.A. 181, as amended, may furnish proof in a manner and form acceptable to the director that the broker or dealer has an irrevocable letter of credit on file with the packers and stockyards administration under regulations adopted by the packers and stockyards administration in 9 C.F.R. 201.35, as amended.

(D) No licensed livestock dealer or broker shall employ as an employee a person who, as a dealer or broker, previously defaulted on contracts pertaining to the purchase, exchange, or sale of livestock until the licensee does both of the following:

(1) Increases the value of the dealer's or broker's bond, deposit, or letter of credit, in addition to the amount of any other bond, deposit, or letter of credit required by this section, by an amount equal to that owed by such person for the purchase, exchange, or sale of livestock prior to being employed by the licensee;

(2) Signs and files with the director an agreement that guarantees, without condition, all contracts pertaining to the purchase, exchange, or sale of livestock made by such person while in the employ of the licensee. The agreement shall be in addition to any other proof of financial responsibility required by this section. The director shall prescribe the form and content of the agreement.

(E) No licensed livestock dealer or broker shall employ a person whose dealer's or broker's license was revoked or is suspended.

Last updated October 9, 2021 at 5:21 AM

Section 943.031 | Application for license as a small dealer.
 

(A) Application for a license as a small dealer shall be made in writing to the department of agriculture. The application shall state the nature of the business, the municipal corporation or township, county, and post-office address of the location where the business is to be conducted, the name of any employee who is authorized to act in the small dealer's behalf, and any additional information that the department prescribes.

(B) The applicant shall satisfy the department of the applicant's good faith in seeking to engage in the business of a small dealer. The department then shall issue to the applicant a license to conduct the business of a small dealer at the place named in the application. Licenses, unless revoked, shall expire annually on the thirty-first day of March and shall be renewed according to the standard renewal procedure established in sections 4745.01 to 4745.03 of the Revised Code.

(C) No license shall be issued by the department to a small dealer having weighing facilities until the applicant has filed with the department a copy of a scale test certificate showing the weighing facilities to be in satisfactory condition, a copy of the license of each weigher employed by the applicant, and a certificate of inspection by the department showing livestock market facilities to be in satisfactory sanitary condition.

(D) No licensed small dealer shall employ as an employee a person who, as a small dealer, dealer, or broker, previously defaulted on contracts pertaining to the purchase, exchange, or sale of livestock until the licensee signs and files with the director an agreement that guarantees, without condition, all contracts pertaining to the purchase, exchange, or sale of livestock made by the person while in the employ of the licensee. The director shall prescribe the form and content of the agreement.

(E) A licensed small dealer is not required to maintain financial responsibility or furnish proof of financial responsibility.

Last updated October 9, 2021 at 5:20 AM

Section 943.04 | Fees.
 

(A) Fees for the initial issuance of any license issued pursuant to sections 943.02, 943.03, and 943.031 of the Revised Code, shall be paid to the department of agriculture.

(B) All annual renewal fees for the licenses shall be paid by the applicant for the renewal of a license on or before the thirty-first day of March of each year to the treasurer of state. Except for license fees for small dealers, the fees shall be based on the number of head of livestock purchased, sold, or exchanged, in this state, whichever is the greatest, during the preceding calendar year. Those fees for dealers or brokers shall be as follows:

Less than 1,000 head __________ $50.00 per annum;

For 1,001 to 10,000 head __________ $125.00 per annum;

For more than 10,000 head __________ $250.00 per annum.

In the event a dealer or broker operates more than one place where livestock is purchased, sold, or exchanged, a fee shall be paid for each place, but only the original purchase, sale, or exchange shall be counted in computing the amount of the fee to be paid for each place operated by the dealer or broker. Shipment between yards owned or operated by the dealer or broker shall be exempt.

A late fee of one hundred dollars shall be paid for each dealer or broker license renewal application that is received after the thirty-first day of March each year.

(C)(1) A fee of twenty-five dollars shall be paid by each small dealer.

If a small dealer operates more than one place where livestock is purchased, sold, or exchanged, a fee shall be paid for each place, but only the original purchase, sale, or exchange shall be counted in computing the amount of fee to be paid for each place operated by the small dealer. Shipment between yards owned or operated by the small dealer shall be exempt.

(2) A late fee of twenty-five dollars shall be paid for each small dealer license renewal application that is received after the thirty-first day of March each year.

(D) A fee of twenty dollars shall be paid by each employee that is appointed by a small dealer, dealer, or broker as provided in section 943.02 of the Revised Code.

(E) A fee of ten dollars shall be paid by each licensed weigher.

(F) All money collected under section 943.03 of the Revised Code and under this section shall be credited to the animal and consumer protection laboratory fund created in section 901.43 of the Revised Code.

Section 943.05 | Refusal or suspension of license.
 

(A)(1) The director of agriculture may, except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, refuse to grant or may suspend a small dealer's, dealer's, or broker's license, without prior hearing, after determining from evidence presented to the director that there is reasonable cause to believe any of the following situations exist:

(a) Where the applicant or licensee or an employee has violated the laws of the state or official regulations governing the interstate or intrastate movement, shipment, or transportation of animals, or has been convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude or convicted of a felony;

(b) Where there have been false or misleading statements as to the health or physical condition of the animals with regard to official tests or quantity of animals, or the practice of fraud or misrepresentation in connection therewith or in the buying or receiving of animals or receiving, selling, exchanging, soliciting, or negotiating the sale, resale, exchange, weighing, or shipment of animals;

(c) Where the applicant or licensee acts as a small dealer, dealer, or broker for a person attempting to conduct business in violation of section 943.02 of the Revised Code, after the notice of the violation has been given to the licensee by the department of agriculture;

(d) Where the applicant or licensee or employee fails to practice measures of sanitation, disinfection, and inspection as required by sections 943.01 to 943.18 of the Revised Code, or prescribed by the department, of premises or vehicles used for the yarding, holding, or transporting of animals;

(e) Where there has been a failure to keep records required by the department or where there is a refusal on the part of the applicant or licensee or employee to produce records of transactions in the carrying on of the business for which the license is granted;

(f) Where the applicant or licensee providing weighing facilities used for, in connection with, or incident to the purchase or sale of livestock for the account of the licensee or others, fails to maintain and operate the weighing facilities in accordance with sections 943.08 and 943.10 of the Revised Code;

(g) Where the applicant or licensee in the conduct of the business covered by the license fails to maintain and operate weighing facilities in accordance with sections 943.08 and 943.10 of the Revised Code or fails to cause its livestock to be weighed by licensed weighers as provided in those sections;

(h) With regard to a dealer or broker licensee, where the licensee fails to maintain a bond or deposit, or letter of credit, if applicable, or fails to adjust the bond or deposit upon thirty days' notice or refuses or neglects to pay the fees or inspection charges required to be paid;

(i) Where the licensee has been suspended by order of the secretary of agriculture of the United States department of agriculture under provisions of the "Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921," 42 Stat. 159, 7 U.S.C.A. 181, as amended;

(j) With regard to a dealer or broker licensee, where the surety company, trustee, or issuer of a letter of credit of the licensee issues a notice of termination of the licensee's bond agreement, deposit agreement, or letter of credit;

(k) Where the applicant has had a small dealer's, dealer's, or broker's license revoked or has had a small dealer's, dealer's, or broker's license suspended two or more times in the previous five years.

(2) The director shall not refuse to grant a small dealer's, dealer's, or broker's license because of an applicant's criminal conviction unless the refusal is in accordance with section 9.79 of the Revised Code.

(B) When the director refuses to grant or suspends a small dealer's, dealer's, or broker's license, the director or the director's designee may hand deliver the order. The licensee to whom a suspension order is issued shall be afforded a hearing in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, after which the director shall reinstate, revoke, or suspend for a longer or indefinite period the suspended license.

Last updated October 9, 2021 at 5:20 AM

Section 943.06 | Posting of license.
 

Every small dealer, dealer, and broker licensed under section 943.03 or 943.031 of the Revised Code, as applicable, and carrying on or conducting business under that license, shall post in a conspicuous place in or at the place of business of the licensee a copy of the license furnished by the department of agriculture, to be kept so posted and exposed for inspection by any person.

Section 943.07 | Sanitation.
 

Each small dealer, dealer, or broker leasing, renting, operating, or owning livestock yards, pens, premises, or vehicles in which animals are quartered, fed, held, or transported, shall have a veterinary inspector approved by the department of agriculture, inspect, when directed, all such yards, premises, and vehicles and shall thoroughly and completely disinfect all such yards, pens, premises, and vehicles under the direction of the veterinary inspector and as prescribed by the department. The cost of the inspection and disinfection shall be borne by the small dealer, dealer, or broker.

The department shall not require such veterinary inspection of yards, pens, premises, or other facilities where veterinary inspection is regularly maintained by the United States department of agriculture, or by the municipal corporation in which the same are located, or where livestock is transported to markets or slaughtering establishments where such inspection is maintained.

The department may adopt adequate sanitary requirements covering the construction and maintenance of buildings, pens, and chutes on all premises regularly used for the assembling, receiving, handling, feeding, watering, holding, buying, or selling of livestock, and may prescribe and enforce rules for the purpose of carrying into effect sections 943.01 to 943.18 of the Revised Code. Those sections shall not apply to railroads subject to the "Interstate Commerce Act of 1887," 24 Stat. 379, 49 U.S.C.A. 1.

Section 943.08 | Weighing regulations.
 

(A) Each person maintaining and operating any weighing facilities used for, in connection with, or incident to the purchase or sale of livestock at any auction market, concentration yard, stockyard, packing plant, or place for assembling livestock in the state, shall do both of the following:

(1) Maintain and operate all the weighing facilities so as to ensure accurate weights;

(2) Be licensed as a weigher, or employ one or more weighers licensed by the department of agriculture, and require that all livestock handled for purchase, sale, or exchange be accurately weighed by the licensed weighers upon scales approved by the department and inspected, tested, maintained, and operated in accordance with this section. This section does not prevent such weighers from performing other duties not inconsistent with this section.

(B) Any person maintaining and operating a weighing facility used for the purposes set forth in this section may operate unapproved scales if he meets all of the following conditions:

(1) Signs and files with the director of agriculture an affidavit stating that any unapproved scales will not be used in connection with the purchase, exchange, or sale of livestock;

(2) Posts a conspicuous sign above any unapproved scales stating, "this scale cannot be used to weigh livestock for purchase, exchange, or sale";

(3) Agrees to submit to an audit of market records once every six months by the director or any of his authorized agents.

Section 943.09 | Weigher's license.
 

(A) Except as provided in division (B) of this section, licenses shall be issued by the department of agriculture to weighers under such rules and regulations as the department shall prescribe. Each weigher shall display the weigher's license in a conspicuous place on or adjacent to the weighing facility operated by such weigher. A weigher's license may be revoked for a violation of section 943.11 of the Revised Code or of the rules and regulations of the department relating thereto. The license of any weigher convicted of a violation of such section shall be promptly revoked. A weigher's license, unless revoked, shall expire on the thirty-first day of March of each year and shall be renewed according to the standard renewal procedure of sections 4745.01 to 4745.03, inclusive, of the Revised Code.

(B) The director of agriculture shall issue a weigher's license in accordance with Chapter 4796. of the Revised Code to an individual if either of the following applies:

(1) The individual holds a license in another state.

(2) The individual has satisfactory work experience, a government certification, or a private certification as described in that chapter as a weigher in a state that does not issue that license.

Last updated December 29, 2023 at 7:28 AM

Section 943.10 | Weighing facilities.
 

All weighing facilities operated under the "Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921," 42 Stat. 159, 7 U.S.C.A. 181 as amended, shall be maintained and operated in accordance with rules of the United States department of agriculture; and all other such weighing facilities shall be maintained and operated in accordance with rules of the state department of agriculture. All such weighing facilities not regularly inspected and tested as required by the United States department of agriculture under the "Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921," 42 Stat. 159, 7 U.S.C.A. 181 as amended, shall be inspected and tested under the supervision of the state department once every six months in accordance with rules of the state department. In the event the state department finds, after proper inspection and test, that such weighing facilities are defective it may condemn and seal such weighing facilities and prevent their further use until repairs or renewals have been made to its full satisfaction. The department may utilize the inspection facilities, services, and personnel performing similar functions under the "Packers and Stockyards Act of 1921," 42 Stat. 159, 7 U.S.C.A. 181 as amended, to whatever extent they may be available or desirable in carrying out this section. The operator of such weighing facilities shall bear all costs incident to the testing and sealing of such facilities.

Section 943.11 | Prohibition.
 

No weigher shall improperly weigh any livestock, or give any false certificate of weight, or accept directly or indirectly money or other consideration for any neglect or improper performance of duty, and no person shall wrongfully influence or interfere, or attempt to so influence or interfere, with any such weigher in the performance of his duty or attempt to do so.

Section 943.12 | Right of entry.
 

Any authorized representative of the department of agriculture may enter any stockyard livestock market, auction market, concentration yards, packing plant, conveyance, or place for assembling livestock for the purpose of inspecting the facilities, livestock, records, or scales, and may weigh or reweigh any livestock.

Section 943.13 | Inspection and treatment - animals sold through livestock auction markets.
 

The department of agriculture shall require inspection, tests, and treatments necessary to prevent the spread of diseases of all animals sold or transferred from pens, yards, premises, or vehicles by small dealers, dealers, or brokers except when such animals are immediately delivered to a slaughtering establishment. The inspection, tests, and treatments shall be made by a veterinary inspector approved by the department and shall be made and reported as prescribed by the department. The fees for that service shall be paid by the small dealer, dealer, or broker. This section shall not apply to a person operating a slaughtering establishment at which antemortem veterinary inspection is regularly maintained.

The director of agriculture, without a prior hearing, may revoke the approval of a veterinary inspector. A person to whom an order of revocation is issued shall be afforded a hearing in accordance with sections 119.01 to 119.13 of the Revised Code.

Animals sold through a livestock auction market shall be accompanied by a release as may be prescribed by the department and issued by the small dealer, dealer, or broker. The release shall state the date, number and kind of animals moved, point of origin, and buyer.

Animals sold for slaughter may be identified by an ear tag, a livestock paint brand, or other prescribed identification, whenever the department finds such identification necessary.

Operators of livestock auction markets shall furnish and maintain cattle chutes suitable for restraining animals for careful inspection and shall provide suitable laboratory space for the veterinary inspector. All swine pens shall be paved and maintained so that they can be cleaned and disinfected. All diseased animals shall be segregated by species and held in designated pens constructed to facilitate cleaning and disinfecting.

Section 943.14 | Maintenance and inspection of records.
 

(A) The department of agriculture or any of its authorized agents may inspect the records of any licensee or employee at any time to determine the origin and destination of any livestock handled by the licensee and to determine if sections 943.01 to 943.18 of the Revised Code, or the rules adopted thereunder, have been violated.

(B) A small dealer, dealer, or broker, employee, or person described in division (B)(4) of section 943.01 of the Revised Code, who acquires or disposes of an animal by any means, shall make a record of the name and address of the person from whom the animal was acquired and to whom disposed. The record also shall show the individual identification of each animal at the time of acquisition or disposal. These records shall be maintained for a period of sixty months or longer from the date of acquisition or disposal.

(C) The individual identification in division (B) of this section shall be in a manner or form approved by the department.

(D) A person who is a soliciting agent for a video auction pursuant to division (C) of section 943.02 of the Revised Code shall maintain records in a manner or form approved by the department.

Section 943.15 | Rules.
 

(A) The department of agriculture may adopt and enforce rules for the purpose of carrying into effect sections 943.01 to 943.17 of the Revised Code.

(B) No person shall fail to comply with any rule adopted under division (A) of this section.

Section 943.16 | Disposition of fines.
 

All fines imposed and collected under section 943.99 of the Revised Code shall be credited to the animal and consumer protection laboratory fund created in section 901.43 of the Revised Code.

Section 943.17 | Jurisdiction.
 

Municipal courts, county courts, and courts of common pleas have jurisdiction in cases arising under sections 943.01 to 943.17, inclusive, of the Revised Code.

Section 943.18 | Temporary or permanent injunctions.
 

In addition to the remedies provided and irrespective of whether or not there exists an adequate remedy at law, the director of agriculture may apply to the court of common pleas for a temporary or permanent injunction or other appropriate relief against continued violation of the provisions of sections 943.01 to 943.17 of the Revised Code.

Section 943.19 | Effect of child support default on license, certificate or permit.
 

On receipt of a notice pursuant to section 3123.43 of the Revised Code, the director of agriculture shall comply with sections 3123.41 to 3123.50 of the Revised Code and any applicable rules adopted under section 3123.63 of the Revised Code with respect to a license, certificate, or permit issued pursuant to this chapter.

Section 943.20 | License for propagation of deer with status or wasting disease; hunting preserve license.
 

(A) A person who wishes to propagate captive deer with status or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status shall obtain a license under section 943.03 or 943.031 of the Revised Code in addition to a captive white-tailed deer propagation license issued under section 1533.71 of the Revised Code.

(B) A person who wishes to operate a wild animal hunting preserve as defined in section 1531.01 of the Revised Code on which monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status are released and hunted shall obtain a license under section 943.03 or 943.031 of the Revised Code in addition to a wild animal hunting preserve license issued under section 1533.721 of the Revised Code.

Section 943.21 | Required testing of deer.
 

(A) A captive whitetail deer licensee shall have monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, and captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status in the licensee's herd tested for disease in accordance with rules.

(B) A captive whitetail deer licensee shall provide the results of all testing required under this section to the director of agriculture.

Section 943.22 | Mitigation or elimination of chronic wasting disease.
 

The director of agriculture shall take actions that the director determines are necessary to mitigate or eliminate the presence of chronic wasting disease or other disease at a facility owned by a captive whitetail deer licensee regarding monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status if the director is notified of a positive result from a test for chronic wasting disease or other disease for a monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status at the facility.

Section 943.23 | Compliance with rules and requirements; penalties for violations.
 

(A) A captive whitetail deer licensee shall comply with the requirements established in sections 943.20 to 943.26 of the Revised Code and in rules. The director of agriculture may suspend or revoke a license issued under section 943.03 or 943.031 of the Revised Code regarding monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status if the licensee fails to comply with those requirements.

(B)(1) The director, after providing an opportunity for an adjudication hearing under Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, may assess a civil penalty against a person who has violated or is in violation of section 943.20 of the Revised Code. If the director assesses a civil penalty, the director shall do so as follows:

(a) If, within five years of the violation, the director has not previously assessed a civil penalty against the person under this section, in an amount not exceeding five hundred dollars;

(b) If, within five years of the violation, the director has previously assessed one civil penalty against the person under this section, in an amount not exceeding two thousand five hundred dollars;

(c) If, within five years of the violation, the director has previously assessed two or more civil penalties against the person under this section, in an amount not exceeding ten thousand dollars.

(2) Money collected under division (B)(1) of this section shall be deposited in the state treasury to the credit of the captive deer fund created in section 943.26 of the Revised Code.

Section 943.24 | Adoption of rules.
 

The director of agriculture shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish all of the following:

(A) Requirements governing health monitoring and disease testing of monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, and captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status, which testing may include, but is not limited to, testing for chronic wasting disease, brucellosis, and tuberculosis of such deer that are held at a facility licensed under section 1533.71 or 1533.721 of the Revised Code;

(B) Requirements governing captive whitetail deer licensees, including record-keeping requirements related to health monitoring and disease testing of monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, and captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status;

(C) Requirements and procedures that are necessary to preserve the health, safety, and welfare of monitored captive deer, captive deer with status, or captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status;

(D) Requirements and procedures governing the transfer of living game and nonnative wildlife, as defined in section 1531.01 of the Revised Code, from one wild animal hunting preserve licensed under section 1533.721 of the Revised Code to another such wild animal hunting preserve;

(E) Tagging requirements for captive deer with status and captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status for such deer that are propagated pursuant to a captive white-tailed deer propagation license issued under section 1533.71 of the Revised Code;

(F) Requirements governing the certification of captive deer with certified chronic wasting disease status;

(G) Any other requirements or procedures that are necessary to administer and enforce sections 943.20 to 943.26 of the Revised Code.

Section 943.25 | On-site inspections.
 

The director of agriculture or the director's authorized representative may enter at reasonable times on the premises of a captive whitetail deer licensee to conduct investigations and inspections or to otherwise execute duties that are necessary for the administration and enforcement of sections 943.20 to 943.26 of the Revised Code and rules.

Section 943.26 | Captive deer fund.
 

Notwithstanding section 943.04 of the Revised Code, all money collected through the issuance of licenses to captive whitetail deer licensees under this chapter shall be credited to the captive deer fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury. The director of agriculture shall use money in the fund to administer sections 943.20 to 943.26 of the Revised Code and rules.

Section 943.99 | Penalty.
 

(A) Whoever violates section 943.11 of the Revised Code is guilty of a felony of the fifth degree.

(B) Whoever violates sections 943.01 to 943.10 and 943.12 to 943.17 of the Revised Code is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree.