On Friday, July 24th, the Oregon Secretary of State's Elections Division announced that Initiative Petition 28 (IP 28) did not qualify for the November 2026 General Election ballot. This is welcome news for Oregon agriculture, food producers, sportsmen, veterinarians, businesses, and the many Oregonians who stood together in opposition to this dangerous and misguided proposal.

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The Yes on IP 28 campaign submitted 142,784 signatures by the July 2 deadline. After two rounds of statistical sampling, the Elections Division determined the campaign failed to meet the required threshold of 117,173 valid signatures.  

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Although the announcement is encouraging, we must be vigilant as we look ahead. Since this proposal first emerged in 2020 for the 2022 election cycle, Oregon Farm Bureau has worked alongside farmers, ranchers, commodity organizations, conservation partners, sportsmen, veterinarians, businesses, and national stakeholders to prepare for the possibility of this measure reaching Oregon voters. 

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Together, we invested in research, coalition building, public education, communications, fundraising, and grassroots organizing so we would be prepared if the campaign advanced. More than 150 organizations, small businesses, and industry partners joined our coalition, one of the largest and most diverse issue coalitions assembled in recent Oregon political history.  

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The breadth of this coalition demonstrated that opposition to IP 28 extended far beyond agriculture. Oregonians from across the state recognized the measure would have far-reaching consequences for food production, rural communities, outdoor recreation, conservation, and Oregon's economy. 

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Oregon Farm Bureau extends its appreciation to every organization and individual who stood with us throughout this effort, including the Oregon Dairy Farmers Association, Oregon Cattlemen's Association, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Oregonians for Food & Shelter, Oregon Business & Industry, Oregon Pork Producers, Oregon Hunters Association, and so many others who helped build this unprecedented coalition. 

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We also thank our members who volunteered to serve as county captains, identified sign locations, shared information with their County Farm Bureaus, contributed to the Feed Oregon PAC, attended meetings, and stayed engaged throughout the process. Your support made this effort stronger. 

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While IP 28 will not appear on the November ballot, the underlying effort to restrict farming, ranching, hunting, fishing, veterinary medicine, and responsible animal care has not disappeared. The chief petitioners have made it clear they intend to continue pursuing this proposal, and we should expect similar measures in future election cycles. 

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Oregon Farm Bureau has always understood this work extends beyond a single ballot measure. We cannot simply defeat bad ideas, we must proactively champion policies that allow Oregon agriculture to grow, innovate, and thrive. We cannot afford complacency. Instead, we will continue building the relationships, grassroots network, and statewide coalition that proved so powerful throughout this effort. Thank you for standing with Oregon agriculture. Together, we'll continue defending the people who produce our food, fiber, and fuel while caring for the land, animals, and natural resources that sustain us. 

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Initiative Petition 28 (IP 28) asks Oregon voters to dramatically redefine animal abuse in state law by making the killing or injury of animals illegal. While the language may sound straightforward, the implications are sweeping. IP 28 would fundamentally alter Oregon’s animal abuse statutes in a way that criminalizes longstanding, lawful, and necessary activities across agriculture, natural resource management, and daily life.

 

Most concerning for agriculture, IP 28 would redefine “sexual assault” to include routine breeding practices, potentially applying this classification to livestock, equine operations, and even domestic pets. This would expose farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, breeders, and animal owners to criminal liability for standard, humane practices that are essential to animal health, food production, and genetic management.

 

The passage of IP 28 would effectively turn Oregon into a “no kill or harm” sanctuary state, eliminating in-state meat, dairy, and animal protein production. Oregonians would be forced either into a vegan lifestyle or to rely on food shipped in from other states or countries. This would increase food costs for families, undermine local food security, and make Oregon dependent on the national and global food supply chain.