Late last week, the Oregon Elections Division announced that the People for the Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions Act (IP28) failed to gain the amount of signatures needed for it to appear on this year’s ballot.

Food & Water Watch Organizing Manager Lilli DiPaola released the following statement: 

“For years, it’s been clear that we need to overhaul the fundamental structure of our food system – but IP28 is not the answer. Food & Water Watch fights every day to ensure Oregonians have clean water and access to safe, affordable food. However, we remain opposed to IP28 and hope this is the last we see of this misguided ballot measure. 

“IP28 failed to account for issues around food accessibility, equitable resource allocation, Indigenous rights, and the economic precarity of those reliant on our food system despite the harm it causes. Indiscriminately banning all animal agriculture, hunting and fishing across the state would have dire impacts on Oregon’s environment, economy and workers. Instead of IP28, our elected officials must prioritize strong, community-centered policy reforms that support stronger environmental, public health and animal welfare standards.”