HB 2904 would allow damaged farmland to retain Farm Use classification
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The House voted today to protect farmers whose land is damaged, by allowing their land to retain its Exclusive Farm Use classification. The bill, HB 2904, was introduced by Representative Tina Kotek (D-N/NE Portland), a Portland Democrat, at the request of Fazio Farms. The bill would allow Fazio Farms, and other farms with damaged land, to return to farming once the land is remediated.
“Empowering farmers to return to farming following problems with their land is one of the best things we can do to preserve our agricultural heritage, our environment, and the diversity of our economy,” said Kotek.
Fazio Farms has been growing pickling cucumbers in Northeast Portland for generations, dating back to World War I. When their soil became infested with a fungus in the mid-1990s, the Fazios lost their farm use special assessment from Multnomah County – a significant financial loss for a family farm struggling to get by – because the state law does not define remediation as an acceptable farming action. This bill gives counties the tool they need to deal with cases like this by creating a category of farm land use for the remediation of severe adverse conditions of the land.
“This is a real David vs. Goliath story,” said Representative Brian Clem (D-Salem), who spoke in favor of the bill on the House floor. “Allowing small, but successful, farms to continue operating despite the many challenges they face is one thing we can do ensure Oregon’s farming culture lives on.”
HB 2904 contains important safeguard to protect against abuse. The bill precludes the eligibility of areas where negligence or intentional abuse of the land creates the need for remediation. The bill also requires certification of the remediation plan by the specialists at the OSU Extension Service, a return to farm use after the plan is completed, and that remediation be the primary use for any machinery or equipment purchased under the assessment.
For more information, contact MaryAnn Almeida at 503-986-1444.
###
