By Oregonians for Food and Shelter,
This week brought more headlines from Salem as legislators try to figure out how to pay for a proposed transportation package. The transportation co-chairs have unveiled a revised proposal for a transportation package, notably suggesting the replacement of DEQ’s current Climate Protection Program with a cap & trade system that aligns more closely with those in Washington and California. This shift would necessitate a change in perspective from Republicans and the elimination of the existing program established through rule by Democrats, but the potential for revenue generation for transportation-related initiatives could be appealing to businesses and legislators alike. Prior to this announcement, Republicans unveiled their own plan, which did not include the cap & trade option or any tax increases.
Policy committees have largely wrapped up their work, directing all attention towards the transportation package, tax-related legislation, and budget discussions. This includes deliberations on wildfire funding, with legislators discussing Governor Kotek’s proposal to use the estimated $1 billion kicker due to taxpayers next year to fund wildfire costs.
The Legislature is also taking the first small steps towards completing a budget within the next month, including passage of the Oregon Department of Agriculture budget yesterday. OFS has coordinated a list of bills and budget items that the timber and agriculture communities support, and those we believe do not merit state investment. We shared this list with budget leaders yesterday and will continue our advocacy on bills and budgets.
Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission Report
Yesterday, the Presidential Commission to Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) released a report aiming to identify the drivers of childhood chronic disease. As expected, the report questions many of the crop protection tools that farmers rely on to support America’s food supply, suggesting links between pesticides and chronic disease and ignoring decades of science, data, and global regulatory consensus. The MAHA Commission’s claims about pesticides echo those pushed by anti-agriculture and activist groups, including claims about glyphosate that are based on discredited science.
OFS will continue to advocate for pesticide policies that follow science—not fear, speculation, or fringe narratives by activists. We will also continue to urge the Trump administration and policymakers to stand with producers and land managers, and support science-based policies that protect our food supply and rural communities.
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