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Measure has drawn bipartisan opposition
A pending Oregon ballot initiative that would effectively prohibit all fishing, hunting, and ranching “is an attack on human nutrition” according to a local professor.
The People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions Act is likely to be placed on the ballot this November, having reached the required amount of signatures.
The proposed bill aims to eliminate the “abuse, neglect, and assault” of animals in Oregon, in effect outlawing the killing of animals for the purpose of food and preventing the use of animals in testing of any kind. It would also criminalize basic pest control like killing mice and other vermin.
But the bill may also impact agricultural departments at colleges and universities statewide, as many of those career paths would be eliminated within the state.
Linn-Benton Community College’s Clay Weber was one professor who expressed his concerns with the proposal, also called IP28 or the PEACE Act.
“IP28 is an attack on human nutrition first & foremost,” the chair of the agricultural science department told The College Fix via email. “People need to eat!”
He does not expect “we will even get to the point where IP28 will impact our class offerings, clubs or our student success goals,” predicting the proposal will fail.
“When a large percentage of the world’s population is in a protein deficit,” Weber said, “the need to feed people will avail over misguided propaganda.”
Some competitions, like livestock judging, would also be harmed if the law passed. Weber formerly coached the community college’s team and said livestock judging would quickly fall out of demand if the law passed.
Similarly, the community college’s animal science program, the only program of its kind in Oregon, would be limited if classes on the proper raising of cattle were no longer applicable.
Yes On IP28, the organization sponsoring the PEACE Act, did not seem to share Weber’s concerns.
In response to questions about the potential impact on agriculture departments in Oregon, a team member at Yes On IP28 responded, “Our campaign does not want there to be any students studying how to injure, kill, or breed animals.”
“We hope that any students who were originally interested in killing animals choose to study plant agriculture instead,” the spokesman said.
For those already in the livestock industry, the group said there will be a “transition fund” to retrain workers.
The Fix reached out to faculty at Oregon State University and Southwestern Oregon Community College for comment via email, but did not receive a response.
A variety of groups, including ranchers, hunters, and members of both political parties have come out against the legislation.
“I oppose it,” Democratic Governor Tina Kotek said on May 30.
“Criminalizing activities like hunting and fishing would be wrong for Oregon,” Kotek said. “I know tribal leaders, farmers and ranchers and Oregonians across the state who care deeply about protecting our land. This petition does nothing to help them, and it risks criminalizing common agricultural practices that are critical to Oregon’s economy.”
Her Republican opponent Christine Drazan has likewise opposed the measure. “We will fight this attack on our traditions, economy and livelihoods – it’s time for Oregonians to come together to defeat the extremists who want to destroy our state.”
The Sportsmen’s Alliance also criticized the proposal.
“Beyond hunting, this measure would criminalize standard agricultural practices, ranching, and even the processing of livestock for food, threatening Oregon’s entire food supply chain.”
The group also argues the state would lose out on significant revenue for conservation which is funded by hunting and fishing licenses.
MORE: Professors push to consider animals as equal to human beings
