by Susan Watkins
Representative Ben Unger (D-Washington County) has proposed legislation that would protect prime farmland from a host of non-farm-related activities. Ben comes from a long line of farmers. He knows that most of the targeted activities, which are currently allowed on EFU lands by state statute or rule, remove the land from farming forever.
The activities that would be disallowed include (among others) mining, asphalt mix plants, cement plants, energy exploration, and landfills!
The bill (HB 3040) faces an uncertain future. To learn more, contact Ben atrep.benunger@state.or.us, and also contact your representatives to ask them to sign onto the bill as co-sponsors. As Ben points out, we aren't banning these activities from Oregon, just moving them off our world class farmland.
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