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Bills to Watch For #2
A three-part guide to community food systemsrelevant legislation during Oregon’s 2019 session
Amy Wong, Phillip Kennedy-Wong, and Megan Kemple
OCFSN Policy Committee
February 2, 2019
• Our Vision: All Oregonians thrive with healthy, affordable foods from an environmentally and economically resilient regional food system.
• Supportive public policy is essential to achieving our vision.
• The OCFSN Policy Committee creates space and opportunity to inform, educate, learn from, respectfully challenge, and build common cause across our wide diversity of interests within the food system.
• Resources: ocfsn.net/policy-committee/
• Google Form: to tell us which bills you’re tracking
• Follow-up survey
OCFSN and Public Policy
http://ocfsn.net/?page_id=1733&preview=truehttps://docs.google.com/forms/d/1j7SQr7BtDmhnm_4JUO8j3XxTVe-RcLKammvd8ZU3lwU/edit?ts=5bb539ea
Outline
• SB 434: aims to protect Oregon’s specialty seed industry
• Continued one-time funding for: Hunger response fund; Farm Direct Nutrition for low-income seniors and WIC families
• HB 2020: Clean Energy Jobs bill
Speakers and Outline
Phillip Kennedy-WongPolicy AdvocateOregon Food Bank
Amy WongDirectorCultivate Oregon
Megan KempleCoordinatorOregon Climate and Agriculture Network
Protect the Vegetable Specialty Seed Industry
SB 434Identical HB TBD; filed Friday
Creates patent holder/manufacturer liability for genetically-engineered GE contamination events
in Oregon. Does not pit farmer against farmer.
Why is this needed
• Federal GE regulations are inadequate
• There are no statewide regulations in OR
• All counties, except Jackson, are preempted from making decisions about what types of seeds are grown in their jurisdiction
• The ban on growing canola in the Willamette Valley sunsets later this year. Canola poses exceptional threats to the specialty seed industry and it is unclear what ODA will do
“All Oregonians thrive with healthy affordable foods from an environmentally and economically resilient regional food system.”
• Seeds = life
• Unique seed growing capacity threatened
• Diversified, organic farming takes environmental and other externalities into account better than chemical-intensive GE farming
• The integrity of organic seed stocks is important for the future of ag in Oregon and beyond
Pros & Cons
Success?
Concerns
• Will drive out the biotech industry
• Will flood the courts
• Will create a hostile environment for tech and business development
Threats
Needs
• Review our materials; include them in your lobby day
• Contact your legislators and submit testimony
• Testify at a hearing
• Share Farm Bureau and Republican and conservative Democratic legislator connections who might change their mind
• Share parties/stakeholders interested in this legislation
• Funding
• Share ideas for future legislation to move this issue, at least incrementally
Questions & Contact InfoAmy Wong
[email protected] (805) 455 4200
mailto:[email protected]
Continued one-time funding for:
• Hunger response fund
• Farm Direct Nutrition for low-
income seniors
• Farm Direct Nutrition for WIC
families
ANTI-HUNGER PROGRAMS
STATE AGENCY
2017-19 ADOPTED 2019-21 BUDGET
Budget One-timeGovernor’s
RecommendedREQUESTED w/ one-time
funds OR Hunger
Response FundDHS $2.9 million $1.3 million $2.9 million $4.2 million
Farm Direct Nutrition: Low-Income Seniors
OHA $86,888 $200,000 $6,025 $286,888
Farm Direct Nutrition: WIC
FamiliesOHA $227,421 $1,000,000 $262,598 $1,227,421
Below are food programs with one-time funds that Oregon Food Bank is requesting to continue for the 2019-21 biennium. Continuing one-time funds in these programs ensures that Oregon keep the recent momentum in reducing hunger.
Oregon Food Bank
Questions for Phillip?
OCFSN WebinarFebruary 4, 2019
WHY IT’S TIME TO ACT
• Oregon is already experiencing climate impacts• Wildfires, drought, economic impacts, and others…
• Science demands action• New IPCC report says that we only have 10-15 years
• Oregonians will benefit• Economic investment and innovation, improved health
and associated cost savings, more clean energy jobs• Oregonians want action
• Over three-quarters of Oregonians support action• 2018 election
• Oregon can lead the way for other states
CAPPING OREGON’S CLIMATE POLLUTION
CEJ enforces existing climate goals and sets an interim target:• 2035: 45% GhG reduction below 1990 levels• 2050: 80% GhG reduction below 1990 levels
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CLEAN ENERGY JOBS BILL OVERVIEW
CAP• Largest emitters must hold permits for annual climate pollution
(~80% of state GhG emissions)• Cap declines gradually through 2050 (80% below 1990 levels)• Starts in 2021
PRICE• Establish marketplace with allowances (permits). Total # of
allowances = # of capped emissions in year 1, decreases each year• Link with Western Climate Initiative Inc. (WCI) for joint auctions• Consistent, increasing price per ton of GhG throughout the region
INVEST• Auction proceeds reinvested annually in emissions reductions and
climate resilience/adaptation via clean energy, energy efficiency, transportation, and natural and working lands
• Prioritizes rural and urban impacted communities across Oregon
BILL STATUS
• Bill introduced February 1 (LC 894/HB 2020)• Joint Committee on Carbon Reduction• Commitments from Leadership• Lobby Day on February 6th
Agricultural Incentives in
the Clean Energy Jobs Bill
Climate change and agriculture
Oregon farmers are dealing with the effects of climate change right now.
Climate change exposes farms and crops to smoke, extreme and unpredictable
temperatures, droughts and floods.
In Eastern Oregon last winter huge onion storage houses collapsed under snow
In S. Oregon last summer there was no tourist market for farms because of smoke
Farmworkers are working in unsafe conditions including smoke and extreme heat
Climate change and agriculture
We need strong climate policy to stabilize the climate that Oregon agriculture depends on
and to incentivize climate friendly practices.
Oregon’s farms can help to stabilize the climate by:
• reducing energy use
• utilizing renewables
• adopting practices that sequester carbon in the soil!
Incentives for agriculture in the bill
The Clean Energy Jobs bill provides funding for projects that reduce and
sequester greenhouse gas emissions and promote adaptation and resilience in
the face of climate change.
Farmers may benefit in two ways:
1) from grant funds to adopt/maintain climate-friendly practices
2) from selling offset credits to regulated parties.
Offset Projects
Agriculture and Forestry, the two uncapped sectors, can generate offsets credits for projects that result in greenhouse gas emissions reductions or removals that are:
• real
• permanent
• quantifiable
• verifiable
• enforceable
• in addition to reductions that would otherwise occur.
Offset Projects
• Developing and registering offset projects can be expensive and time consuming.
• The level of quantification and market administration that is needed, makes offset markets bureaucratic and expensive.
• Small and mid-scale ag producers may find that they don’t qualify for a sufficient number of offset credits to make the application and verification process worth
their time and money.
Offset Projects
• The bill does allow for aggregation, which could allow for smaller farms to join together to participate.
• There would be an offset protocol advisory committee to provide guidance in developing offset protocols, including at least one agriculture expert
Examples of potential Oregon-specific offsets
could include:
• preserving and increasing soil carbon (through cover crops, crop rotations, no till and conservation tillage)
• rotational grazing
• avoiding the conversion of natural lands to cropping systems
• reduced nitrous oxide emissions,
“Permanence” and “additionality” requirements may make these difficult.
Grant funded projects:
Proceeds would go to several grant programs including a Climate Investments
Fund.
Moneys in the Climate Investments Fund may be used for projects, programs
and activities that reduce and sequester greenhouse gas emissions and promote
adaptation and resilience in the face of climate change.
Grant funded projects:
Investments may include:
Funding to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support greenhouse gas sequestration
or support adaptation or resiliency through investments in working lands, including:
• investments in agricultural practices that serve to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or promote carbon sequestration,
• irrigation efficiency projects,
• methane emissions reduction or recovery projects.
Grant funded projects:
Could fund practices that sequester carbon in the soil such as: carbon farming practices (including cover crops, compost application, no-till/reduced till, conservation plantings such as hedgerows, rotational grazing and silvopasture),
Enhanced nutrient management
Alternative manure management
Purchases of energy efficient equipment and renewables such as installation of energy efficient irrigation, and generation of solar energy for on-site use.
In Summary
Oregon’s Proposed Cap & Invest Policy offers a powerful framework for the ag community to be a part of the solution by providing grant funds and/or offset credits for these climate-friendly practices
The grant funds, rather than offset credits are likely to be more accessible to small and mid-sized farms.
The Clean Energy Jobs bill recognizes that farms are an important part of the solution to the problem of a changing climate and provides great opportunities for Oregon’s farmers to take part and benefit from the program.
Threats
The Oregon Farm Bureau is expressing concerns about:
1) Fuel prices (claiming they will increase)
2) Offsets (“punishing early adopters”)
3) Incentives (they don’t seem interested)
OrCAN’s Concerns about HB 2020
Funding for technical assistance is needed
There are too many regulated entities receiving free allowances
which if not addressed will result in very limited funding available
through the Climate Investments Fund.
What’s Next
Make sure the bill is strong, free allowances are limited and that ag incentives are maintained.
Be involved in the rule making process.
Ensure the Offset Protocol Advisory Committee and any other Committees with ag representatives, include small and sustainable farms
Engagement
Over 200 farms and other agricultural stakeholders have signed on to this letter urging the legislature to take action and pass the Clean Energy Jobs bill this session.
OrCAN will share opportunities for engagement and endorsement via OCFSN newsletter and listserv.
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/49fc7a_65b987403a744e80a1bdf11040b217f2.pdf
Questions for Megan?
More questions for our speakers?
For more information:ocfsn.net/policy-committee/
http://ocfsn.net/?page_id=1733&preview=true