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SB 590 Ensure Rural Lands are Fully Protected!

06/28/2021

Senate Bill 590, a wildfire bill that expands protection options for cropland areas, passed the House and Senate with bipartisan support. The bill was a priority bill for the Oregon Wheat Growers League. The League thanks Senator Hansell, the bill sponsor, for his tireless efforts on SB 590 to ensure access to wildfire protection resources for all of Oregon’s wheat producing areas.

With the passage of Senate Bill 590, the state ensured the most efficient and effective use of limited resources to reduce the impacts of fires. The bill expands the areas that can be covered through a Rangeland Protection Associations (RPA) to include lands that are used primarily for cultivating crops. The legislature further extended resources to the Oregon Department of Forestry for additional positions to support the modernization of RPA’s and new RPA formation, providing access to assistance programs from the State Forester with organizing, training, acquisition of equipment, and insurance obligations.

Fire is a constant and annual threat to Oregon’s wheat producers, causing extensive damage to crops, farm equipment, structures, critical infrastructure, and livelihoods. The damages to Oregon’s wheat farmers from wildfire events extend beyond the immediate fire impacts and include sustained impacts from the loss of habitat, grazing land and vulnerabilities to soil erosion. OWGL President Clint Carlson stated: “We have been working since 2018 on a range of fire protection policies and supports following the devastating fires in our cropland areas. We appreciate the work of the legislature to ensure passage of this critical bill.”

The statutory change provided in the bill enhances coordination of limited fire resources for our rural communities and ensures tools are available to conduct effective fire suppression as safely and efficiently as possible. It is a big win for rural producers, especially Oregon Wheat Growers! OWGL is thrilled with the passage of SB 590 to ensure rural lands, including croplands, are fully protected.

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