Welcome to the website for the Oregon Grows Partnership. Our collective membership represents well over a quarter of a million Oregonians who are farmers, small business owners, rural residents and shoppers who buy directly from their farm or shop at farmers markets.
As a partnership of Oregon farm, rural development, local food and food security organizations joining together around our belief that:
- All Oregonians, regardless of economics or geographic location deserve access to food produced by regional family farmers.
- Agriculture is the cornerstone of our economy and therefore, we believe in supporting Oregon family farmers and ranchers to ensure their economic viability and longevity in our state.
- In prioritizing production practices that enhance the ecological integrity of our land, air and water.
- Farmers and communities have reciprocal responsibilities to form relationships that support one another.
- In regenerating our regional food system infrastructure to improve farmers’ ability to access local and regional production processing, distribution, transportation and markets.
- That it is our responsibility to bring forth the political will to actualize these principles.
As a group, we have collectively identified the following priorities for the 2011 Legislative Session and feel that these issues are imperative to ensure that our small farm community, rural economies and local food systems remain healthy, viable and vibrant.
Recognizing 1000 Limit Poultry Exemption
In order to align state statute with federal law, legislative action is needed to recognize the “1,000 Limit Exemption.” The Exemption would be limited to poultry growers who slaughter and sell no more than 1,000 poultry in a calendar year for use as human food. Read more here.
Expand Credit to Farmers with the Creation of an Oregon State Bank
The creation of an Oregon State Bank, would allow the state’s short term fund to be redirected into a new institution which will be focused solely on partnering with local, community banks to make credit available to family farmers and ranchers in the state of Oregon. Read more here.
Modernize and Clarify Farmers Market Rules
Farmers markets are popping up in nearly every community across Oregon. With this exciting new industry growing and evolving, it is time that critical changes be made in state statute to modernize and clarify rules surrounding farmers market. In order to keep our family farmers and ranchers viable it is key that regulations be eased for low risk products such as pickles and jams. Read more here.
