The Register-Guard: Farm Bill amendment disastrous

posted on April 25, 2018

An assault is underway on states’ authority to establish their own laws governing agriculture, American consumers, family farmers, farm animals and our environment. Iowa Republican Rep. Steve King’s measure, HR 4879, was recently added to the Farm Bill as an amendment, and it could effectively nullify hundreds of state laws, including laws passed by the people and Legislature of Oregon.

For example, a rule prohibiting the importation of firewood that carries invasive pests into Oregon, and our laws regulating puppy mills or banning the sale of shark fins, would be at risk of being reversed. It could also nullify hundreds of other state laws across the country like those concerning animal welfare, food safety and inspection, labeling, pesticides and child labor.

We must do everything in our power to ensure King’s amendment is not in the final version of the Farm Bill. Join me in urging Oregon Reps. Peter DeFazio, Greg Walden, Earl Blumenauer, Suzanne Bonamici and Kurt Schrader, and Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, to oppose this disastrous legislation.

Debra Merskin
Eugene