2025 Legislative Session Update (HB 2164):
In committee upon adjournment, no funding in reconciliation.
This bill had a very early and overwhelmingly positive hearing in the Oregon House Ag committee and was sent down to Ways and Means. We are grateful for the bipartisan support shown to this issue and were heartened by the desire to close the loop on this state investment. But this bill did not pass and the funding was not awarded. We will continue to talk about how important these services are and keep fighting for access for our farmers in future sessions.
5/21 – Still sitting in Ways and Means!
- SB 809 (related bill) – We are so excited to announce SB 809, which would essentially add poultry to our State Meat Inspection Program, has been signed into law! It will be helpful to expand access to locally produced chickens across Oregon and will take effect January 1st, 2026.
- HB 2164 is identified as a priority bill for the House Ag committee in W&M (thank you Reps Owens and Helm!)
2/24/25 –
- Related Bill – SB 809, expanding the state meat inspection program to include poultry
2/10/25 –
- Heading to Ways and Means – Likely Natural Resources Subcommittee
2/3/25 –
- Work session happened this morning!
- Passed out of the House Ag Committee Unanimously
- Fiscal assigned:
- 25-27: $274,745
- 27-29: $218,405
1/27/25 –
- Hearing in House Committee on Agriculture, Land Use, Natural Resources and Water (HB 2164) on 1/22
- 32 testimonies in favor
- FoFF staff presented in committee
- Bumped to the end of the hearing, no other public testimony in hearing (disappointing)
- Likely to move with work session this week or next
BACKGROUND – WHY WE NEED STATE MEAT INSPECTORS
In 2021, Oregon established the State Meat Inspection Program through the Oregon Department of Agriculture, to help bolster our local meat processing capacity — diverting more than 80% of meat production profits back into Oregon’s economy and away from out-of-state shippers, retailers and federal processing facilities. This program has been instrumental in helping farmers and ranchers provide inspected meat products to consumers that meet the same regulatory safeguards that the USDA requires, but on a local scale.
While the passage of HB 2785 has greatly improved our local farming infrastructure and statewide agricultural economy, Oregon farmers – especially those in rural and underserved communities — are still struggling with delays in getting their products inspected.
FEDERAL DOLLARS ARE ON THE TABLE
Although Oregon invested in meat processing facilities with the passage of HB 2785, it has failed to invest in accompanying staff capacity to keep up with the expanding infrastructure, especially in rural areas where the inspection backlog is continuously growing. Right now, the Federal Farm Bill offers a 50% federal match for state-funded inspectors — meaning that for every two State Meat Inspectors Oregon invests in, a third inspector is covered by federal matching. We can’t leave these critical dollars on the table.
JOIN US IN ASKING FOR 2 FTE FOR ODA TO HIRE AND PHASE-IN STATE MEAT INSPECTORS THIS BIENNIUM AND BEGIN PULLING DOWN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR MORE INSPECTORS IN THE FUTURE!
MORE INFORMATION/RESOURCES