Bills introduced into the 2023 Oregon Assembly include the following:

• HB 3189 Appropriates moneys out of General Fund to State Department of Agriculture for distribution to Grant Soil and Water Conservation District for purposes related to aquatics monitoring.
• HB 3580 Authorizes holders of certain water rights in Upper Klamath Basin to relocate points of diversion to consolidated point of diversion under certain circumstances.
• SB 1087 Establishes standards for establishment of farm cafes on lands in Lane County zoned for exclusive farm use
• HB 5002 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to State Department of Agriculture for certain biennial expenses.
• HB 5003 Approves certain new or increased fees adopted by State Department of Agriculture.
• HB 2842 Establishes certain requirements for member of board of directors of agricultural cooperative.

• HB 2843 Permits member of cooperative to rescind contract with cooperative if member relies on information about financial condition of cooperative that cooperative, or director or officer of cooperative, provides and member later discovers that cooperative, or director or officer of cooperative, concealed material information, provided inaccurate, misleading or false information or otherwise acted to deceive member.

• HB 2844 Prohibits director of agricultural cooperative, with respect to financial condition of agricultural cooperative, from intentionally or negligently concealing material information from member of agricultural cooperative, providing inaccurate or misleading material information to member of agricultural cooperative or otherwise acting to deceive member of agricultural cooperative.

• HB 2907 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to State Department of Agriculture for purpose of funding grant program related to establishments that process and sell meat products.

• HB 2929 Authorizes Water Resources Department to seek injunctive relief if person has engaged, or is about to engage, in activity that is or will be violation of certain water laws.

• HB 2971 Includes as permissible farm use for purposes of property tax special assessment operation or use of farmland subject to farm-related government program for voluntary in-stream leasing of water rights.

• HB 3003 Creates income or corporate excise tax credit for electric utility that purchases electricity produced using a fuel source that is at least 50 percent qualifying western juniper biomass.

• HB 3019 Transfers revenue from levy of additional privilege tax under forest products harvest tax to State Forestry Department Account for distribution to Oregon Forest Resources Institute Fund, Oregon Forest Land Protection Fund and Higher Education Coordinating Commission for Oregon State University Extension Service to implement Oregon Environmental Literacy Plan.

• HB 3021 Establishes that perfected and developed water right is not subject to forfeiture if owner of water right ceased to use all or part of water appropriated for period of five successive years because owner engaged in water conservation practices or distribution of water that owner received from water district was less than certificated maximum for period of at least five successive years.

• HB 3023 Provides that storage of surface water for fire response preparedness does not require water right application, permit or certificate.

• HB 3025 Imposes severance tax on owner of timber harvested from public or private forestland.

• HB 3091 Provides that person who receives finding under wolf depredation compensation and financial assistance grant program may appeal finding to county advisory committee.

• HB 3098 Directs State Department of Agriculture, in consultation with Pesticide Analytical and Response Center, to establish farmworker outreach program.

• HB 3164 Makes permanent provisions conditionally allowing water right lease to split use of water between existing water right and in-stream water right within same year.

• SB 132 Extends sunset for tax credits for owner or operator of agriculture workforce housing.

• SB 372 Requires State Department of Agriculture to study animals.

• SB 398 Requires State Department of Agriculture to study confined animal feeding operations.

• SB 399 Imposes limit on exempt use of water for livestock.

• SB 429 Establishes certain requirements for member of board of directors of agricultural cooperative.

• SB 439 Aligns criteria for alteration, restoration or replacement of a dwellings on lands zoned for forest use consistent with criteria applicable to dwellings on lands zoned for farm use.

• SB 448 Repeals provisions requiring employers to pay overtime to agricultural workers who work in excess of maximum allowable hours.

• SB 455 Directs Oregon Business Development Department to establish and administer grant program for aquifer recharge due diligence and forgivable loan program for aquifer recharge testing.

• SB 457 Directs Employment Department to develop Agricultural Worker Overtime Relief Payment Program to provide eligible agricultural workers with payments for hours worked beyond 40 hours but not exceeding 48 hours per workweek.

• SB 466 Allows person taking certain nuisance game mammals to offer meat to charitable organization or retain meat.

• SB 47 Directs Environmental Quality Commission and State Department of Agriculture to enter into memorandum of understanding to allow department to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over air quality laws, water quality laws and land quality laws that apply to agricultural lands, operations and equipment.

• SB 471 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to State Department of Agriculture for deposit in Wolf Management Compensation and Proactive Trust Fund.

• SB 479 Directs State Department of Agriculture to adopt rules allowing donation of meat to charitable organizations and other organizations that offer food for noncommercial purposes.

• SB 480 Prohibits director of agricultural cooperative, with respect to financial condition of agricultural cooperative, from intentionally or negligently concealing material information from member of agricultural cooperative, providing inaccurate or misleading material information to member of agricultural cooperative or otherwise acting to deceive member of agricultural cooperative.

• SB 507 Makes certain changes to farm direct marketing law.

• SB 526 Directs State Department of Agriculture to establish program to support farmers who employ agricultural practices that lead to resilient farms.

• SB 57 Removes prohibition against sale, offer for sale, maintenance or control of female cattle of beef breed that have not been vaccinated against brucellosis.

• SB 617 Instructs Director of Agriculture to employ organic policy special assistant to director.

• SB 682 Allows recreational vehicle used to provide security of farm use to be sited on lands zoned for exclusive farm use.

• SB 70 Amends definition of high-value farmlands for residential rezoning of lands within Eastern Oregon Border Economic Development Region.

• SB 710 Establishes criteria for determining existence or lack of new ground water use impairment or interference with water right having earlier priority date.

• SB 750 Provides that small forestland owner that planted trees under reforestation requirements may harvest trees.

• SB 789 Makes permanent certain restrictions on growing canola within Willamette Valley Protected District.

• SB 86 Imposes limit on exempt use of water for large concentrated animal feeding operations.

• SB 87 Instructs Oregon State University Extension Service to expand Center for Small Farms and Community Food Systems through certain hiring.

• HB 2058 Directs Oregon Business Development Department to develop and administer loan program to provide financial assistance to eligible employers to mitigate costs associated with compliance with agricultural overtime compensation requirements under section 2, chapter 115, Oregon Laws 2022 (Enrolled House Bill 4002).

• HB 2066 Extends sunset of property tax exemption for food processing machinery and equipment.

• HB 2078 Extends sunset for tax credits for owner or operator of agriculture workforce housing.

• HB 2087 Extends biennial privilege taxes on merchantable forest products harvested on forestlands.

• HB 2121 Directs Environmental Quality Commission and State Department of Agriculture to enter into memorandum of understanding to allow department to exercise exclusive jurisdiction over air quality laws, water quality laws and land quality laws that apply to agricultural lands, operations and equipment.

• HB 2142 Adds processor to types of entities from which taxpayer engaged in farming operation may obtain certification stating percentage of in-state agricultural commodity sold to entity, in order to determine taxpayer’s commercial activity for purposes of corporate activity tax.

• HB 2161 Makes certain changes to calculation of small forestland owner tax credit.

• HB 2185 Authorizes landowners who meet certain criteria to petition for formation of predator damage control district as funding mechanism to pay actual costs to county of preventing, reducing and mitigating damage to property from predatory animals.

• HB 2193 Requires State Department of Agriculture to study potential uses for animal processing waste products.

• HB 2194 Appropriates moneys to State Department of Agriculture, out of General Fund, for purpose of developing grant program to fund construction of meat rendering plants.

• HB 2197 Requires State Department of Agriculture to study confined animal feeding operations.

• HB 2202 Prohibits counties from allowing use of certain new dwellings on resource lands as vacation occupancies.

• HB 2203 Allows recreational vehicle used to provide security of farm use to be sited on lands zoned for exclusive farm use.

• HB 2210 Allows counties to authorize subdivision of land zoned for exclusive farm use or forest use into parcels no smaller than average size of county’s lots and parcels of same type.

• HB 2242 Establishes Oregon Wildlife Council.

• HB 2246 Requires that court award damages for cost of replanting to plaintiff prevailing against federal government or contractor in action for injury to private land arising from fire originating on federal forestland.

• HB 2253 Disqualifies land from farm use special assessments upon final civil penalty or judgment of conviction for illegal growing of crops against landowner or person in possession and control of land.

• HB 2357 Requires State Department of Agriculture to study animals.

• HB 2401 Exempts from ad valorem property taxation machinery and equipment used to compress and bale harvested straw, hay, grass or other plants.

• HB 2411 Dissolves Oregon Alfalfa Seed Commission.

• HB 2449 Prohibits insurer from canceling or raising premiums on policies of fire insurance by more than three percent if insured’s property is located within wildland-urban interface or insured’s primary employment or economic or business activity is farming or resource extraction.

• HB 2450 Provides that small forestland owner or owner’s estate, heirs or devisees, that planted trees under reforestation requirements may harvest trees.

• HB 2469 Directs Employment Department to develop Agricultural Worker Overtime Relief Payment Program to provide eligible agricultural workers with payments for hours worked beyond 40 hours but not exceeding 48 hours per workweek.

• HB 2482 Exempts receipts from sales of certain agricultural products from commercial activity subject to corporate activity tax.

• HB 2487 Allows lands zoned for exclusive farm use to be used for weddings or events east of the summit of the Cascade Range.

• HB 2489 Provides that persons whose farming or ranching operation suffered economic loss in 2022 due to certain natural disasters may apply for forgivable loans.

• HB 2529 Requires State Department of Agriculture, in consultation with State Department of Energy, to study use of biomass as feedstock for production of renewable diesel.

• HB 2532 Appropriates moneys to State Department of Fish and Wildlife, out of General Fund, for purposes related to chronic wasting disease.

• HB 2610 Directs Oregon State University to research reduced-risk pest management tools for Oregon’s specialty crops and report to interim committees of Legislative Assembly no later than September 15, 2027.

• HB 2616 Authorizes sale of unpasteurized milk from small-scale farm through delivery service or at farmers’ market or other farm-to-consumer sales location if milk is labeled as unpasteurized.

• HB 2631 Provides that compensation for loss or injury to livestock or working dogs under wolf depredation compensation and financial assistance grant program must be based on multiplier of not more than seven times fair market value of livestock or working dogs and recommendation of county advisory committee.

• HB 2632 Provides that person who receives finding under wolf depredation compensation and financial assistance grant program may appeal finding to county advisory committee.

• HB 2633 Allows person who submits application for compensation under wolf depredation compensation and financial assistance grant program to amend application.

• HB 2667 Prohibits Department of Environmental Quality and State Department of Agriculture from issuing or renewing license or permit to allow construction or operation of new industrial confined animal feeding operation, addition to or expansion of existing industrial confined animal feeding operation or addition to or expansion of livestock farm that would cause livestock farm to become industrial confined animal feeding operation.

• HB 2675 Provides that state structural specialty code does not apply to structure located on farm or forest operation and used for purpose related to agriculture that requires not more than 20 persons to occupy structure at any one time outside of harvest season or not more than 40 persons to occupy structure at any one time during harvest season.

• HB 2684 Exempts receipts from sales of agricultural, floricultural, horticultural, viticultural or food products from commercial activity subject to corporate activity tax.

• HB 2687 Authorizes State Department of Agriculture to issue public applicator licenses and public trainee certificates to employees of federally recognized Indian tribes for purposes of pesticide application on certain lands adjacent to tribal lands.

• HB 2689 Provides licensing exemption for person slaughtering not more than 1,000 rabbits for use as human food.

• HB 2698 Instructs State Department of Agriculture to establish grant program for purpose of facilitating nonlethal deterrence of wildlife conflict species by individuals who raise, keep or produce livestock or crops.

• HB 2700 Modifies zero-emission and electric vehicle rebate programs to allow rebate for purchase or lease of electric farm tractor or repowering of farm tractor.

• HB 2728 Requires Department of Human Services to contract with nonprofit organization to implement and administer program to assist recipients of supplemental nutrition assistance in purchasing locally grown fruits and vegetables from farmers’ markets, farm share sites and retail outlets that participate in program.

• HB 2799 Appropriates moneys from General Fund to Department of Transportation for grants to erect and maintain livestock safety fencing along portions of state highway where there is high risk of conflict between traveling public and livestock.