There is encouraging news coming out of Oregon following the battle over Initiative Petition 28 (IP 28), the controversial animal-rights ballot proposal that threatened longstanding protections for agriculture, livestock production, hunting, fishing and other lawful animal activities, but was prohibited from being on the ballot this November.
A new citizen initiative, Initiative Petition 2028-025 (IP 25), is moving forward with essentially the opposite approach: rather than continually defending these activities from future restrictions, IP 25 seeks to affirmatively protect them in the Oregon Constitution.
The Oregon Secretary of State officially lists IP 25 as a proposed constitutional amendment protecting the rights to hunt, fish, farm, trap, ranch, grow food and conduct wildlife management. It was filed June 23, 2026, by chief petitioner Kari Goodheart.
Supporters are calling the proposal the FREEDOM Amendment, an acronym for “Fundamental Right to Engage in Ethical Domestic and Outdoor Management.” The campaign describes its purpose as constitutionally protecting hunting, fishing, trapping, farming, ranching, livestock husbandry and responsible wildlife management.
IP 25 comes on the heels of Oregon’s fight over IP 28, which sought major changes to Oregon’s animal-cruelty laws affecting activities involving animals killed or injured for food, hunting and fishing. Oregon’s own financial-estimate process described IP 28 as a statutory amendment related to criminalizing breeding practices and injuring or killing animals, including for food, hunting and fishing.
IP 25 represents a fundamentally different strategy.
Instead of waiting for another IP 28-type proposal and then fighting to preserve individual exemptions for agriculture, hunting, fishing or animal husbandry, supporters of IP 25 are attempting to establish an affirmative constitutional protection for those activities.
That concept is particularly significant for farmers, ranchers, sportsmen and animal owners because constitutional protections generally provide a stronger legal foundation than ordinary statutory exemptions. The precise scope of that protection, however, will ultimately depend upon the final language approved for circulation, voter approval and future judicial interpretation.
Where IP 25 Stands:
There is one important point to clarify: IP 25 is not being proposed for the November 2026 election.
The Oregon Secretary of State identifies it as Initiative Petition 2028-025, proposed for the November 7, 2028 General Election.
It also has not yet qualified for the ballot. Oregon’s initiative process requires sponsorship signatures, preparation of an official ballot title and then collection of the full number of voter signatures necessary to qualify the constitutional amendment.
So this is the beginning of a potentially significant campaign, not yet a ballot measure voters are guaranteed to see.
For The Cavalry Group, IP 25 is particularly interesting because it represents a shift from defensive legislation to affirmative protection and we are all about going on offense.
Farmers, ranchers, hunters, fishermen, trappers and responsible animal owners have spent years responding to proposals designed to restrict or eliminate lawful animal activities. IP 25 asks a different question:
Why shouldn’t these longstanding activities themselves receive constitutional protection?
We will be following IP 25 closely as it moves through Oregon’s initiative process, examining the final language and evaluating opportunities for The Cavalry Group and our coalition partners to become involved.
This could become an important model not only for Oregon, but for other states seeking stronger protections for agriculture, working animals, private property, wildlife management and traditional animal-use activities.
