Beyond the Headlines: Why IP28 Doesn't Define Oregon, and Why We Must Defeat It
If you flip on the national cable news networks right now, you might hear a lot of shouting about Oregon. Out-of-state commentators and extreme wing talking heads are pointing to Initiative Petition 28 (IP28) and using it as an excuse to paint our entire state as radical and disconnected from reality.
Let's pull up a chair on the front porch and set the record straight.
IP28, also known as the PEACE Act, is a ballot measure driven by a group of Portland-based animal rights activists. The petition seeks to expand animal cruelty laws by removing the current, common-sense legal exemptions for hunting, fishing, trapping, livestock farming, and even pest control.
If passed, it would essentially criminalize everything from recreational fishing to basic livestock breeding and slaughter.
At Stoneraven Strategic, we oppose IP28 in the strongest possible terms. It is a direct threat to rural livelihoods and the absolute worst kind of out-of-touch red tape.
The numbers speak for themselves. This measure would severely impact the 35,000 farm families, 500,000 anglers, and 300,000 hunters who live and work in Oregon. It would devastate our local maritime operators, such as the fishing industry, which just last year generated $517 million in household income and supported 10,300 local jobs. We believe in fixing broken systems and keeping money in our local communities, and criminalizing our foundational agricultural and maritime industries does the exact opposite.
Here is the most important part of the story—the part the commentators on national television conveniently leave out: IP28 does not represent the soul of Oregon.
Just because a fringe group managed to submit over 126,000 signatures to the Oregon Secretary of State's Office does not mean this measure reflects our state's values. Even the chief petitioner behind the initiative openly acknowledges that vegans make up less than 2% of the population.
When you look at the facts on the ground, you see that Oregonians across the political spectrum are standing together to reject this nonsense. Major industry groups, working families, and bipartisan political leaders—including both Republican Christine Drazan and Democratic Governor Tina Kotek—have publicly denounced the petition.
We are tired of the hate and the hyper-partisan theater being projected onto our state. We are actively pushing back against the narrative that Oregon is somehow lost.
The True Northwest isn't defined by a single extreme ballot measure. We are defined by the multi-generational cattle ranchers in Eastern Oregon, the independent timber operators in the valley, and the hard-working folks keeping our coastal fisheries alive. We are practical, problem-solving people who know how to build and grow.
Our job as the bridge between The Valley and The Hill is to listen to working families and defend their right to make a living. We will fight IP28 because it is bad for Oregon, bad for rural life, and a massive overreach of government authority.
Let’s defeat this out-of-touch red tape at the ballot box, protect our neighbors, and get back to showing the rest of the country what Oregon is really made of.
For Oregon's Future,
The Stoneraven Strategic Team
Bridging the Gap Between The Valley and The Hill