This coming Monday, March 6th, at 8 a.m. the Senate Natural Resources Committee will hold a public hearing on SB 85, the factory farm moratorium bill. This bill was scheduled for a hearing thanks to advocates like you who’ve kept up the pressure on our legislators. Now it's up to us to show legislators how much public support this bill has — and unlike the recent informational hearing, the public will be allowed to testify on Monday.
Here's what you can do to support our bill:
Join us in Salem at the public hearing and add your voice! Legislators need to see – and hear – that Oregonians strongly support the factory farm moratorium bill. Join us in Salem on Monday, March 6th, at 8 a.m. to pack the hearing room and share your testimony! To attend the hearing, go to Hearing Room B at the Oregon State Capitol, 900 Court St. NE, Salem (entrance on State Street). To testify at the hearing, sign up here (click on "Register to Testify"). Note you can also sign up to testify virtually.
Submit written testimony in support of SB 85! We know that factory farms are impacting Oregonians in many different ways, and legislators need to know it too. Submitting a personal letter of support for the bill is a quick action that has a big impact. Written testimony will be accepted through 8 a.m. Wednesday, March 8, but it's best to get it in before the hearing if you can. Go here to submit written testimony (click on "Submit Testimony").
Attend the hearing virtually to show your support! If you can’t make it in person, you can watch the hearing online to show legislators that Oregonians across the state want a factory farm moratorium! Legislators will see how many supporters are joining virtually. Go here at 8 a.m. March 6 to watch the hearing online (click on link for March 6 under "Meetings").
The hearing on Senate Bill 85 will be before the five-member Senate Committee on Natural Resources. With proposed amendments, the bill will put a moratorium on new and expanded factory farms in Oregon over a certain size, for animals including cows, chickens and pigs.
Background and Talking Points
Oregon is aleady home to one of the largest dairies in the country (Threemile Canyon Farms) and has recently been fighting off attempts to open new dairies, with 30,000 cows or more, in the same area. Meanwhile, factory chicken farmers have set their sights on the Willamette Valley, with proposals to open several new chicken factories for 500,000 birds at a time.
In addition to polluting or air and water, factory farms are terrible for animal welfare. The animals live short lives of extreme confinement without any opportunity to exhibit their natural behaviors.