Our Family Farms is asking for your support for two important bills in the Oregon Legislature that would help protect traditional seed supply and family farmers. Hearings on both bills are on Thursday, March 16th! Please come join us at the hearing or at least take a moment to let the legislative committee members know you support these bills.
Grab your favorite farmer and head on up to Salem! It’s planting season and no better time to fight for the protection of our seed supply.
Two bills, one big day: Thursday, March 16th
HB 2469 Restore Farmers’ Rights
Family farmers deserve the right to determine their agricultural needs. In 2013, the Oregon legislature took away all rights for local governments to regulate local agriculture. Since then it has failed to put any meaningful statewide regulations in place to protect family farmers from the risks of genetically engineered (GE) crops. The Legislature needs to act to:
- Restore the ability of local farmers to address their diverse agricultural needs at a community level.
- Allow farmers to determine what will work best in their agricultural communities, such as creating GE-free zones or other solutions.
- Allow communities to protect high-value agricultural crops, such as wheat, alfalfa, and specialty seed.
The text of HB 2469 is here.
The hearing is at 8:00 am on Thursday, March 16th in the Capitol in Salem – Hearing Room D
HB 2739 Protect Oregon’s Agriculture
Over the past decade, repeated episodes of contamination by genetically engineered plants have cost U.S. farmers billions of dollars. The Legislature needs to act to:
- Hold patent holders responsible for contamination events — not pit farmer against farmer.
- Protect high-value crops in Oregon, such as specialty seed, wheat and alfalfa, which have been put at significant risk by GE contamination.
- Protect communities from the unwanted presence of invasive GE weeds, such as Creeping Bentgrass, another experimental GE crop that escaped field trials and continues to spread in Malheur and Jefferson counties.
The text of HB 2739 is here.
The hearing is at 1:00 pm on Thursday, March 16th in the Capitol in Salem – Room 343
Please, take a minute now and send separate emails in support of each bill to the individual committee members. If you prefer to make phone calls, we have provided that information.
To express support for HB 2469 to restore farmers’ rights, include “HB 2469” and “Support” in the subject line and email the committee members listed below. Please include a date on your document, your name and where in Oregon you reside or where your farm or business is located (city is adequate, though full address is fine too).
David Brock Smith
[email protected]
503-986-1401
Sal Esquivel
[email protected]
503-986-1406
Caddy McKeown
[email protected]
503-986-1409 (Capitol), 541-808-7596 (district)
Sherrie Sprenger, Vice Chair
[email protected]
503-986-1417
Brian Clem, Chair
[email protected]
503-986-1421
Susan McLain, Vice Chair
[email protected]
503-986-1429
Brad Witt
[email protected]
503-986-1431
Karin Power
[email protected]
503-986-1441
Greg Barreto
[email protected]
503-986-1458
Or you can send your comments to the House Committee On Agriculture and Natural Resources to [email protected] for distribution to each committee member.
To express support for HB 2739 to protect Oregon’s agriculture, include “HB 2739” and “Support” in the subject line and email the committee members listed below. Please include a date on your document, your name and where in Oregon you reside or where your farm or business is located (city is adequate, though full address is fine too).
Duane Stark
[email protected]
503-986-1404 (Capitol), 541- 237-9851 (district)
Andy Olson, Vice Chair
[email protected]
503-986-1415 (Capitol), 541-967-6576 (district)
Sherrie Sprenger
[email protected]
503-986-1417
Bill Post
[email protected]
503-986-1425
A. Richard Vial
[email protected]
503-986-1426
Jeff Barker, Chair
[email protected]
503-986-1428
Mitch Greenlick
[email protected]
503-986-1433
Jennifer Williamson, Vice Chair
[email protected]
503-986-1436
Ann Lininger
[email protected]
503-986-1438
Tawna Sanchez
[email protected]
503-986-1443
Chris Gorsek
[email protected]
503-986-1449
Or you can send your comments to the House Committee On Judiciary to [email protected] for distribution to each committee member.
If you are able to come to the hearing personally or want your testimony submitted for the public record please let us know by emailing us at [email protected] no later than Tuesday, March 14th.
