By Oregonians for Food and Shelter,
OFS was busy in the Capitol this week, with a public hearing Tuesday on the proposed fertilizer regulatory program in SB 747. OFS led a broad coalition, submitted our own letter, and joined a phenomenal group of legislators, farmers, and agronomists opposing this ill-conceived proposal. Our talking points were shared broadly and even some environmental groups came out in opposition to this bill. THANK YOU to all who engaged, with either written testimony or in person at the hearing to express concern and opposition. We will continue to discuss this proposal with legislators and keep a close eye on the bill’s future, but we certainly made an impression on Tuesday.
Next week will include action on several additional bills we are following. SB 833 gives Oregon Department of Ag authority to update labeling and definitions for nutrients and other soil enhancements. We expect amended language to further shape the bill language but do not have specific concerns at this time. HB 2809, which increases the cap for pesticide registration fees, will likely be moved out of Committee with a scheduled work session (OFS shared its concerns on this bill, which we oppose).
Finally, OFS has worked for several years to provide feedback on the proposed commission of an OSU study on chemical residues on agricultural land and crops where biosolids have been applied (HB 2947). This bill will receive a hearing on Monday, 2/10. OFS continues to have concerns about this bill, which we have raised in previous sessions as well. On a related note, this week the House introduced HB 3512, a much more drastic phase-out of PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances), which we are reviewing to identify areas of the bill that could impact our members.
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