Food & Water Watch - Oregon

08/07/2026

When the Stockwater Exemption – which allows farms to withdraw unlimited groundwater – was created in 1909, Oregon dairies had an average of just four dairy cows.

Today, the state’s largest Tier 2 dairy farms confine an average of nearly 11,000 cows. These aren’t family farms. This is corporate consolidation and industrialized animal agriculture on a scale no one could have predicted in 1909.

Don’t let 117 year old laws take your water. Read our latest research piece here: https://fwwat.ch/4yr9Tv0

08/06/2026

Factory farms are allowed to pollute the environment, hurt small farmers and guzzle our water with no repercussions. These Big Ag corporations are able to exploit Oregon’s antiquated water code and crowd out small family farms.

Not only do we need to strengthen regulations, we need to make sure big agriculture follows them. Hold factory farms accountable by signing the petition to permanently end the stockwater exemption today! https://fwwat.ch/4w5M4Hx

08/03/2026

Vital Oregon water restrictions are set to expire next year, but Food & Water Watch is working to protect them. Join us for a virtual panel August 5 at 4PM PT to learn about the impacts of factory farming in Oregon and what can be done to protect our scarce water resources: https://fwwat.ch/44CPgyp

07/31/2026

Did you know that Oregon’s large dairies and beef feedlots produce over 8 billion pounds of manure a year? This manure seeps into local groundwater, posing a major public health risk. Thanks to factory farms, nitrate concentration in the Lower Umatilla Basin has been increasing for 32 years.

Speak out to protect our water and our health: https://fwwat.ch/4w5M4Hx

07/27/2026

We’re conserving water while factory farms guzzle it. Tell your legislators that we need to preserve current restrictions and protect our water: https://fwwat.ch/4w5M4Hx

07/25/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1N5JG3mTgM/

We did it before, and we can do it again. Help us protect Oregon’s water by urging your legislator to maintain current restrictions today! Sign the petition here: https://fwwat.ch/4w5M4Hx

Further protections still needed to shield Oregonians from factory farm threat

07/24/2026

Did you know that Oregon’s Stockwater Exemption is older than sliced bread?

Thanks to these antiquated water restrictions, factory farms are allowed to draw as much groundwater as they want, without acquiring permits. We can’t allow regulations on this law to expire next year. Sign this petition to urge your legislator to protect Oregon’s water: https://fwwat.ch/4w5M4Hx

07/23/2026

Yesterday, we kicked off our campaign to defend water restrictions from factory farms at our Water for Oregonians, Not Big Ag event. It was amazing to meet with so many passionate folks and learn from water policy expert Brian Posewitz.

07/22/2026

In 2023, we passed S85 to ensure factory farms couldn’t use more than their fair share of Oregon’s groundwater. This important restriction is set to expire next year.

At a time when nearly half of Oregon counties are under emergency drought conditions, we can’t allow factory farms to go unregulated. S85 has already stopped three proposed factory farms, but if we don’t extend the current cap, Big Ag will be able to guzzle Oregon’s scarce water without any oversight. We have to maintain current restrictions and protect our water before it is too late.

Join us to learn more tonight:

With Oregon facing historic drought conditions, Food & Water Watch Oregon team is fighting back against one of our largest water users in the state – factory farms. **Join us and our allies on July 22nd, at 6pm in Portland as we kick off our campaign to defend water restrictions that are under thr...