Oregon’s Shock Ban? Hunting, Farming Criminalized

Oregon voters could soon face a measure that treats hunting, fishing, and farming like animal abuse.

Quick Take

Initiative Petition 28 would remove Oregon’s current exemptions for hunting, fishing, trapping, farming, research, and wildlife management.^[1]^[3]
Supporters say the measure only extends existing animal protections to more animals.^[6]
Opponents say the text would turn ordinary outdoor and farm activity into crimes.^[1]^[2]^[5]
The petition has gathered enough or near-enough signatures to keep moving, but state verification is still the key hurdle.^[3]^[4]^[10]

What IP28 Would Change

Initiative Petition 28, also called the PEACE Act, is built around one legal move: remove the exemptions that currently shield hunting, fishing, trapping, farming, research, and wildlife management from Oregon animal cruelty law.^[1]^[3] The Oregon Hunters Association says that would expose lawful hunting and fishing to criminal charges, while the National Agricultural Law Center says the measure would broaden the reach of existing cruelty statutes instead of creating a brand-new system.^[1]^[3]

That legal design is why the fight is so intense. Supporters argue the measure simply extends the protections already given to dogs and cats to animals on farms, in labs, and in the wild.^[6]^[17] Opponents say that same change would make routine acts, such as raising animals for food, using accepted husbandry practices, and managing wildlife, vulnerable to prosecution under the state’s cruelty laws.^[2]^[5] In plain terms, the dispute is about whether Oregon is closing loopholes or criminalizing normal life.

Why Rural Oregonians Are Alarmed

Farm groups and hunting groups are warning that IP28 would hit real people, not just bad actors. The Oregon Farm Bureau says the measure could wipe out meat, dairy, and animal protein production in the state and force families to rely on food shipped in from elsewhere.^[2] Ducks Unlimited and other outdoor groups say the proposal could also damage hunting, fishing, and wildlife conservation programs that depend on licenses, land access, and long-standing management rules.^[4]^[13]

The concern is not limited to sport hunting. Opponents say the petition could also reach livestock breeding, slaughter, pest control, and research that uses animal models.^[1]^[2]^[5] The Oregon Hunters Association says the measure would strip away protections for good animal husbandry, such as dehorning, castration, and neutering of livestock.^[1] That is why critics see IP28 as more than an animal welfare plan. They see a direct threat to the rural economy, food supply, and the way Oregon manages land and wildlife.

Supporters Say It Is About Animal Protection

Backers of the petition reject the claim that they are trying to outlaw all animal use. Yes on IP28 says the measure would not change Oregon’s basic definition of animal abuse. Instead, it would change which animals are protected under that law.^[6] Supporters also say the current system lets slaughter, hunting, fishing, and experimentation continue under broad exemptions that should no longer exist.^[6]^[17] Their public pitch is simple: animal cruelty laws should apply evenly, not just to pets.

That message may sound straightforward to some voters, but the legal effect is what matters. The National Agricultural Law Center says the proposal would limit exceptions largely to self-defense and veterinary care.^[3] That leaves many lawful activities in a gray zone or worse. The petition’s critics are already treating it as a serious ballot threat, and the measure has drawn a broad coalition of farm, hunting, and outdoor groups that see the same risk from different angles.^[4]^[5]^[7]

Ballot Status And What Happens Next

IP28 is not yet a law, and it is not fully locked onto the ballot until signature verification is finished.^[3]^[9]^[10] Reports say supporters had gathered enough raw signatures to move the measure forward, with more than 120,000 submitted and a required threshold of 117,173 valid signatures for November 2026.^[3]^[6]^[10] That means Oregon voters may get the final say, but election officials still have to verify the signatures before the fight becomes official.

The bigger story is how fast this kind of measure can reshape daily life when it is written through exemption removal. If the petition survives verification, voters will have to decide whether Oregon should keep clear legal protections for hunters, farmers, and fishers, or replace them with a far narrower rule set that treats many traditional practices as potential cruelty.^[1]^[2]^[3] For families who hunt, work the land, or depend on local food production, that question cuts straight to liberty and common sense.