Oregon Initiative Could Put Hunting, Ranching and Rodeo At Risk

IP28 would remove animal cruelty exemptions, raising concerns across agriculture and outdoor industries.

Bareback rider Keenan Hayes | Fernando Sam-Sin/@fsamsin

A new initiative has been introduced in Oregon that would ban hunting, fishing and countless animal husbandry practices, including farming and ranching. Proponents of IP28, officially titled the PEACE Act (People for Elimination of Animal Cruelty Exemptions) have submitted more than 126,115 raw signatures, according to the Oregon Secretary of State. 

In order to qualify for the November ballot to be voted on, the initiative must receive a minimum of 117,173 valid signatures. While the current number of submitted signatures exceeds this, they will all need to be validated before the initiative can be added to the ballot. 

What this Means for Agriculture

According to the Oregon Farm Bureau, this initiative removes existing legal protections for good animal husbandry. Because of this, standard practices such as helping animals through giving birth, milking animals and breeding practices would be classified as “animal sexual abuse.”

Artificial Insemination, Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) and even live cover would be made illegal as this would be considered “forced impregnation” which the initiative rejects. 

Additionally, the harvest of animals for meat products would no longer be exempt and would be criminalized as animal abuse.

There are broader implications for this initiative as well, as it doesn’t only apply to the traditional production animals. 

Legal trapping, wildlife management and even pest control would become illegal under IP28, according to the Oregon Hunters Association. Any scientific research involving animals would also immediately be banned, despite animal protection laws that are already in place. 

Potential Economic Impact of IP28

A dairy cow | Shannon Marvel McNaught / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Practices like horse breeding and training in Oregon contribute significantly to both the economy and to rural jobs. The annual Ranchers Horse Sale in Juntura, Ore., for example, generates hundreds of thousands of dollars per auction. 

That’s not to mention the devastation that would ensue from the banning of harvesting production animals for meat and dairy products in Oregon. 

Oregon is home to nearly 140 dairy farms, which make up more than 14,000 jobs, according to Oregon State University Extension. Dairy alone in Oregon is a $3.2 billion industry, and opponents of the initiative argue that it could greatly disrupt the industry nationwide.

IP28 and Rodeo

Oregon is home to several major PRCA rodeos, including Sisters Rodeo, Crooked River Roundup, St. Paul Rodeo, Farm-City Pro Rodeo and more. 

While IP28 does not explicitly ban rodeo, it states that a person commits the crime of animal cruelty in the second degree if the person knowingly causes physical injury to an animal.

Because rodeo relies on livestock athletes performing under conditions that involve pressure, restraint and physical exertion, opponents of the initiative argue the language could put the future of rodeo events in Oregon at risk.

The initiative’s potential impact extends beyond Oregon’s farms and ranches, reaching industries built around animal ownership, management and competition. While the measure does not specifically name rodeo, many within the industry are watching closely as the language could reshape how livestock activities are regulated across the state.