Senate Bill 863 (2013) is Two Statutes

A few months ago, before filing my lawsuit, an attorney gave me what I thought was the whole of Senate Bill 863, the Seed Bill, in ORS 633.738.  The City’s attorney, in answer to my complaint, is saying that the Seed Bill is only about GMOs, and doesn’t apply to marijuana.  But I found that there is another statute just before it, ORS 633.733, which is part of the same bill, and states their real intent: to stop local governments from interfering in the production and use of seed crops:

 633.733 Legislative findings regarding seed regulation. (1) As used in this section, “nursery seed” means any propagant of nursery stock as defined in ORS 571.005.

      (2) The Legislative Assembly finds and declares that:

      (a) The production and use of agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed and vegetable seed and products of agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed and vegetable seed are of substantial economic benefit to this state;

      (b) The economic benefits resulting from agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed and vegetable seed and seed product industries in this state make the protection, preservation and promotion of those industries a matter of statewide interest that warrants reserving exclusive regulatory power over agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed and vegetable seed and products of agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed and vegetable seed to the state; and

      (c) The agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed and vegetable seed and seed product industries in this state will be adversely affected if those industries are subject to a patchwork of local regulations. [2013 s.s.1 c.4 §2]

 633.738 Prohibition of local laws to inhibit or prevent production or use of seeds or products of seeds. (1) As used in this section:

      (a) “Local government” has the meaning given that term in ORS 174.116.

      (b) “Nursery seed” means any propagant of nursery stock as defined in ORS 571.005.

      (2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, a local government may not enact or enforce a local law or measure, including but not limited to an ordinance, regulation, control area or quarantine, to inhibit or prevent the production or use of agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed or vegetable seed or products of agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed or vegetable seed. The prohibition imposed by this subsection includes, but is not limited to, any local laws or measures for regulating the display, distribution, growing, harvesting, labeling, marketing, mixing, notification of use, planting, possession, processing, registration, storage, transportation or use of agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed or vegetable seed or products of agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed or vegetable seed.

      (3) Subsection (2) of this section does not prohibit a local government from enacting or enforcing a local law or measure to inhibit or prevent the production or use of agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed or vegetable seed or products of agricultural seed, flower seed, nursery seed or vegetable seed on property owned by the local government. [2013 s.s.1 c.4 §3]

       Note: Section 4, chapter 4, Oregon Laws 2013 (first special session), provides:

      Sec. 4. Section 3 of this 2013 special session Act [633.738] does not apply to any local measure that was:

      (1) Proposed by initiative petition and, on or before January 31, 2013, qualified for placement on the ballot in a county; and

      (2) Approved by the electors of the county at an election held on May 20, 2014. [2013 s.s.1 c.4 §4]

December 5, 2015 protest leaflet.  Published on GardenGrantsPass.blogspot.com.  Sign the petition at https://www.change.org/p/grants-pass-city-manager-aaron-cubic-leave-pot-growers-alone-target-litter-and-weeds.

Read the ordinance at http://gardengrantspass.blogspot.com/2015/09/chapter-572-homegrown-and-medical.html

Support the lawsuit at www.GoFundMe.com/HomegrownDefense 

Rycke Brown, Natural Gardener          541-955-9040        rycke@gardener.com