OREGON ALERT – PROPOSED LEGISLATION WILL HARM DAIRY FARMS
Oregon Alert – Proposed Legislation Threatens Dairy Farms
Oregon Senate Bill 583 and Oregon House Bill 2924 have been introduced to the 81st Oregon Legislative Assembly. Senate Bill 583 is sponsored by Senator Dembrow and House Bill 2924 is sponsored by Representative Nosse.
Senate Bill 583 and House Bill 2924 have essentially the same summary language which reads as:
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced.
Prohibits Department of Environmental Quality and State Department of Agriculture from issuing or renewing license or permit to allow construction or operation of new industrial dairy, addition to or expansion of existing industrial dairy or addition to or expansion of dairy that would cause dairy to become industrial dairy.
Declares emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to industrial dairies; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1. (1) The Legislative Assembly finds that it is in the best interest of
Oregonians to prohibit the proliferation of industrial dairies until the impacts of industrial
dairies, including impacts to air quality, climate, water quality, water supplies, small- and
medium-sized dairies, community and worker health and animal welfare, have been adequately
studied and addressed through laws and rules.
(2) The Department of Environmental Quality and the State Department of Agriculture
may not issue or renew a license or permit to allow the construction or operation of:
(a) A new industrial dairy;
(b) An addition to, or expansion of, an existing industrial dairy; or
(c) An addition to, or expansion of, an existing dairy if the addition or expansion would
cause the dairy to become an industrial dairy.
(3) As used in this section, “industrial dairy” means a concentrated animal feeding operation
or confined animal feeding operation that has at least 2,500 cows.
SECTION 2. This 2021 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2021 Act takes effect
on its passage.
It is important that farmers and ranchers across the country are made aware of this legislation.
We will provide more information in the coming days.
If you are interested in tracking this legislation, we recommend signing up for Legiscan.
Oregon House Bill 2924 – Summary – Click HERE
Oregon Senate Bill 583 – Summary – Click HERE
