Help secure critical funding for agricultural and ranch land conservation
Last week, COLT’s funding bill for the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program (HB 3366) passed unanimously out of the House Agriculture Committee and was referred to Ways and Means. This is great news, but there’s still work to be done.
This important bill would provide $10 million in grants and $800,000 for positions to fund the program. Now that it’s headed to Ways & Means, we need your help to advocate for this critical funding for agricultural and ranch land conservation.
We are asking our community to advocate for the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Program to the Ways & Means Committees in two ways.
Reach out to the Ways & Means Committee before April 11
Ahead of the OWEB Budget Hearing on April 11, please write a letter or email to your representatives to advocate for OAHP. Here’s how:
- Enter your address here to find out who your senators and representatives are.
- Check if that Senator or Representative sits on either the Ways & Means Subcommittee for Natural Resources or the full Ways and Means Committee.
- Send them a quick email or letter (check for their email) telling them you are supportive of HB 3366 and funding for the OAHP in OWEB’s 2023-2025 budget. Even a short email would be helpful!
Advocate for OAHP at a Ways & Means Roadshow Hearing
The full Ways and Means Committee is also going on an April Roadshow around Oregon to hear budget priorities from the public. This is an excellent opportunity to advocate for conservation priorities in your community! The committee will be stopping in Portland (4/8), Newport (4/14), Roseburg (4/21), and Ontario (4/28). More information can be found here.
Participants must attend in person in order to testify. If there’s a meeting in your area, please reach out to Karsyn Kendrick at karsyn@oregonlandtrusts.org for talking points and drafted testimony in support of our priorities!
