Directs the State Department of Agriculture to establish a program to promote the purchase of Oregon-made food and beverage products by persons in other states.

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83rd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2025 Regular Session
House Bill 2689
Sponsored by Representative ELMER (at the request of Mike Freese for Food Northwest) (Presession filed.)
SUMMARY
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject
to consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor’s brief statement of the essential features of the
measure as introduced. The statement includes a measure digest written in compliance with applicable readability
standards.
Digest: The Act tells an agency to create a program for promoting the purchase of Oregon food
sector products by persons in other states. The Act tells the agency to study topics related to the
Oregon food sector. The Act gives money for the program and the study. (Flesch Readability Score:
63.1).
Directs the State Department of Agriculture to establish a program to promote the purchase of
Oregon-made food and beverage products by persons in other states.
Directs the department to study the competitiveness of food and beverage processing businesses
in Oregon. Directs the department to report to committees or interim committees of the Legislative
Assembly related to natural resources no later than September 15, 2026.
Appropriates money to the department out of the General Fund for the program and the study.
Declares an emergency, effective on passage.
A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to the competitiveness of the Oregon food sector; and declaring an emergency.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
SECTION 1.
The State Department of Agriculture shall establish and implement a do-
mestic trade promotion program to promote the purchase of Oregon-made food and beverage
products by persons in other states.
SECTION 2. (1) In partnership with one or more organizations that are exempt from
federal income tax under 26 U.S.C. 501 (c)(6), the State Department of Agriculture shall study
the competitiveness of food and beverage processing businesses in Oregon.
(2) The study must quantify:
(a) Limitations on business growth that are related to labor availability;
(b) The talent and labor needs of food and beverage processing businesses that are pur-
suing greater automation to improve employee wages and working conditions;
(c) Access to affordable energy that:
(A) Does not cost more than the median price for natural gas and electricity; and
(B) Can support business growth;
(d) Access to affordable capital;
(e) Any imbalance between demand for and the supply of debt and equity capital for food
and beverage processing businesses;
(f) Access to the capacity to comanufacture;
(g) Current capabilities for comanufacturing;
(h) Any need for state funding to support comanufacturing; and
(i) Access to technical assistance.
(3) The department shall:
(a) Submit a report on the study in the manner provided by ORS 192.245 to the commit-
NOTE: Matter in boldfaced type in an amended section is new; matter [ italic and bracketed] is existing law to be omitted.
New sections are in boldfaced type.
LC 2454
HB 2689
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tees or interim committees of the Legislative Assembly related to natural resources no later
than September 15, 2026; and
(b) Include recommendations in the report on how to:
(A) Ensure that food and beverage processing businesses can remain competitive in
Oregon, with access to affordable energy and capital;
(B) Reduce regulatory barriers for food and beverage processing in Oregon; and
(C) Expand market opportunities for food and beverage products made in Oregon.
SECTION 3.
Section 2 of this 2025 Act is repealed on January 2, 2027.
SECTION 4. In addition to and not in lieu of any other appropriation, there is appropri-
ated to the State Department of Agriculture, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, out
of the General Fund, the amount of $3,000,000, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions
of section 1 of this 2025 Act.
SECTION 5.
In addition to and not in lieu of any other appropriation, there is appropri-
ated to the State Department of Agriculture, for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, out
of the General Fund, the amount of $750,000, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions
of section 2 of this 2025 Act.
SECTION 6.
This 2025 Act being necessary for the immediate preservation of the public
peace, health and safety, an emergency is declared to exist, and this 2025 Act takes effect
on its passage.
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