Oregon’s Right to Farm and Forest Act Survives Legal Challenge
Forestry sector key to state’s economic and job growth
By Oregon Prosperity Project
Earlier this month, the constitutionality of Oregon’s “Right to Farm and Forest Act” survived a legal challenge in Lane County.
In a closely-watched legal proceeding, the Act was challenged by Lane County residents who claimed to be unlawfully prevented from suing a forester for damages under the Act. These residents had previously filed, and then dropped, a lawsuit against the forester alleging that herbicide used on some adjacent forest land had drifted on to their property.
The lawsuit was dismissed by a Lane County judge on September 8th.
The Legislature made a specific finding that farming and foresting were critical to the economic welfare of the state and needed to be protected from lawsuits that result from standard industry practices on lands zoned for farming and forestry.
The occasion of this important ruling in Lane County gives us the opportunity to talk about just how critical Oregon’s forestry sector is. No other state economy relies on this sector as Oregon does.
We continually ask the Oregon legislature to pay attention to this industry for good reason.
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