HB 2785A – State Meat Inspection Program Grant Fund
FoFF is asking for supporters to give 1-2 minutes of testimony in their District Hearing for the Oregon Budget Virtual Hearings and/or submit written testimony–you can use testimony that you already submitted. (A template and directions for how to submit written testimony can be found below.)
Oregonians can find their congressional district here.
District 1 – Wednesday, April 14, 5:30-7:30 pm Sign up here.
District 2 – Saturday, April 17, 1:00-3:00 pm Sign up here.
District 3 – Wednesday, April 21, 5:30-7:30 pm Sign up here.
District 4 – Thursday, April 22, 5:30-7:30 pm Sign up here.
District 5 – Saturday, April 24, 1:00-3:00 pm Sign up here.
In the sign up form for spoken testimony there is a section where you need to select which budget areas you want to speak on. Check “Other” and in the box where you give more info, write: “HB 2785A, the grant fund to expand meat processing capacity alongside the state meat inspection program, which will aid food security and rural economic development.”
If you need assistance with electronic registration, call: 1-833-698-1371. And If you have any other questions, or need assistance, please contact Amy Wong, our Policy Director, at amy@friendsoffamilyfarmers.org or (805) 455 4200.
Sample Spoken Testimony Template: (Be prepared to give only 1 minute of testimony, which goes very quickly!)
Dear Co-Chairs and Members of the Committee:
For the record, my name is (fill in). I am a (processor/producer/eater/advocate) in (city).
I am here to ask that you please include $10 million of one-time funding for HB 2785A, the grant fund to run concurrent with the State Meat Inspection Program, in the budget. This is an investment in regional food security and rural economic development, both of which are needed, especially in the wake of Covid-19.
This $10 million grant program would fund expansion, upgrades, and technical and other necessities, such as equipment, like programs in other states have already piloted during the pandemic.
Between the outreach that ODA, OSU’s NMPAN (Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network) and Friends of Family Farmers have done since the State Meat Inspection Program was authorized through HB 4206 last June, it is safe to say there are between 4-7 projects ready for funding. These potentially include locations in Bandon, Tillamook, Sweethome, Baker City, and North Powder.
Having a successful State Meat Inspection program is important to me because…
Add a few sentences about your personal experiences with lack of processing capacity in Oregon and how this affects you and your farm or business, your family, and your community. Or how this program could help you and what you would do with a grant and how it would help rural economic development and regional food system security.
Thank you.
Written Testimony Template:
Feel free to personalize, though please include the formal opening salutation and your city. And consider including your logo or letterhead if applicable.
April 2021
Increase Regional Food Security and Rural Economic Development by Investing in Expanding Meat Processing Capacity through HB 2785A
Dear Co-Chairs Johnson, Steiner Hayward and Rayfield and Members of the Committee:
My name is (fill in). I am a (processor/producer/eater/advocate) in (city).
Oregon needs more meat processing capacity, which is why the legislature recently enacted the State Meat Inspection Program. However, to be truly successful, the State Meat Inspection Program needs a concurrent grant fund to help expand processing capacity, especially in rural Oregon.
I am asking you to support HB 2785, a one-time ask which would establish a $10 million grant program to fund expansion, upgrades, and technical and other necessities, such as equipment, like programs in other states have already piloted during the pandemic. Additional facilities boosting Oregon’s processing capacity could:
- Support local, direct to consumer meat sales
- Increase regional food system resilience and rural economic development
- Support producers’ ability to donate locally produced meat to food banks and other community assistance programs
- Give producers greater control over the price they receive for livestock
- Diversify processing options and reduce risk of processing bottlenecks
- Allow producers to find a local facility to slaughter and process livestock in remote locations across
- Reduce transportation time and costs for producers, and lessening carbon footprints
Oregon’s already acute lack of meat processing capacity has been severely strained during Covid-19, as industrial meat processing facilities were closed by virus outbreaks and out-of-state producers sent meat to the Pacific Northwest for processing, taking away precious processing slots for Oregon farmers and ranchers. Increased demand for local meat also further taxed an already burdened system, with even seasoned producers lamenting the loss of processing slots.
Between the outreach that ODA, OSU’s NMPAN (Niche Meat Processors Assistance Network) and Friends of Family Farmers have done since the State Meat Inspection Program was authorized through HB 4206 last June, it is safe to say there are between 4-7 projects ready for funding. These potentially include locations in Bandon, Tillamook, Sweethome, Baker City, and North Powder.
Having a successful State Meat Inspection program is important to me because…
Add a few sentences about your personal experiences with lack of processing capacity in Oregon and how this affects you and your farm or business, your family, and your community. Or how this program could help you and what you would do with a grant and how it would help rural economic development and regional food system security.
It is also important to mention how Covid-19’s negative impact on meat processing affected you, your farm, your business, or your community.
Thank you,
Sign with your name and city
How to Submit Your Testimony:
Written testimony can be submitted now until 24 hours after the start of your District’s remote hearing. For example, if your hearing is on April 22 from 5:30 to 7:30, you can submit written testimony until April 23rd at 5:30.
Turn your testimony into a PDF by taking the following steps:
File → Save As → File Format → PDF
Due to the online nature of this Legislative Session, the process for submitting written testimony has changed from previous sessions. You must now submit your testimony online.
Visit: https://olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2021R1/Testimony/JWM#
If needed, select “Joint Committee on Ways and Means” from the first drop-down menu
Select the date of your District Hearing
Select SB 5555 (For the roadshow, and written testimony, you are technically giving input into SB 5555, which is essentially Oregon’s budget, but we want to make sure HB 2785A is included in the budget.)
When submitting written testimony, in the “ON BEHALF OF” BOX, write, “HB2785A $10 mil Grant Fund for Meat Processing.”