Scharf Wants To See Rule Making Process Changed

Oregon farmers say one of the biggest challenges when it comes to state regulations is how departments, in many ways, write their own laws.  To help reign that in, state Representative Anna Scharf introduced House Bill 2692.  The western Oregon Republican said the state needs an overhaul of the state’s Administrative rule making process.

"But our agencies have really taken it upon themselves to write law and to overstep their authority when it comes to regulating business and not listening to the voices of business owners, farm business owners, business owners across the state," she noted.  "And so we've got to change that process and we've got to also then in turn change in how they enforce those rules once they're written. Otherwise, we're just going to drive farmers and other businesses out of the state.”

Scharf added that 98% of farms in Oregon are family owned, and they are feeling the squeeze from Salem.

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