Oregon Starts SHUTTING DOWN Small Farms “To Protect The People”
At the heart of the issue lies Oregon’s aggressive regulatory crackdown on small family farms. Bureaucrats have resorted to labeling these farms as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), utilizing broad definitions that encompass even modest homesteads. This misclassification serves as the pretext for the closure of farms deemed to violate environmental standards.
The state’s definition of CAFOs, characterized by its vagueness and overreach, has sparked widespread outcry among farmers and legal experts alike. Even homesteads with minimal livestock and pasture areas are falling prey to this arbitrary classification, facing the threat of closure and punitive measures.
Legal challenges have emerged in response to Oregon’s broad definitions of CAFOs, with lawsuits arguing against the disproportionate impact on small family farms. Critics contend that the state’s regulatory framework fails to account for the scale and nature of these operations, imposing undue burdens on farmers striving to maintain sustainable practices.
Among the hardest hit by Oregon’s regulatory onslaught are small dairy farmers, who find themselves grappling with onerous requirements and compliance costs. The discrepancy between regulatory expectations and the economic viability of small-scale dairy operations threatens the survival of these traditional family-owned businesses.
In addition to regulatory hurdles, Oregon’s stringent restrictions on water use pose significant challenges for farmers. Prohibitive regulations governing access to groundwater and surface water further exacerbate the plight of small-scale agricultural producers, hindering their ability to irrigate crops and sustain livestock.