Policy Update
Thank you to everyone who filled out our Oregon Family Farms Survey and/or participated in one of our 12 focus groups around the state! We are happy to report that we surpassed the response goal for our 2022 Family Farms Survey and we are thrilled with the input, questions and suggestions we received during our surveying process. In total, we collected 521 responses from friends and allies across the state, with an equal spread of respondents ages 25-74 — and a few more on both ends — along with a good mix of farmers, ranchers and eaters.
Many top concerns raised in the survey and focus groups were around water, land use, climate change and distribution issues. Our team is continuing to digest the ideas and legislative concepts proposed in each response and we are excited to develop a more robust report on the findings later this summer.
What’s Next for the Legislative Process?
During the summer months and into the fall, the Oregon Legislature is in what is considered “the interim,” which means we are between legislative sessions and making our way through the Legislature’s off season. Right now, many legislators are turning their attention to the upcoming midterm election and their ongoing campaigns for re-election.
However, the interim is also when legislators begin crafting their priorities for the next session — working with constituents, fellow legislators, unions, coalitions, nonprofits and other advocacy organizations to develop the legislative concepts they want to address. During this time, the Legislature also convenes for periodic legislative days — generally just three days, every few months, when members come together and discuss these developing priorities.
Legislative days offer the public an opportunity to peek behind the curtain and see what legislative concepts are in the works, as these committee meetings are both live-streamed and recorded, just like during a regular session. There are two more sets of legislative days scheduled this year — the next will take place from September 21-23 and then again from December 7-9. You can download the September legislative day schedule at this link to see what committees plan to meet, and when.
We know from early conversations that gun safety and housing will likely be top issues for the 2023 legislative session, but there will be ample room for legislation around agriculture, business development, climate change, water resources, and other top-priority issues for Oregon farmers. We’ll know even more about what to expect next year after monitoring the upcoming legislative days.
The next full legislative session is slated to begin on January 17, 2023, when the Oregon Legislature will begin tackling the issues being developed right now. FoFF, along with advocacy organizations across Oregon, are deep into the process of legislative planning — identifying the concepts, ideas and bills that our members want to focus on in 2023.
We will keep you posted as we move along in this planning process, using your survey responses and your continued feedback as guidance!