Up to 1,000 rabbits per year could be slaughtered on-farm without an Oregon meat processing license under a bill that would expand an existing poultry exemption.

House Bill 2689 would allow the rabbit meat to be sold directly to consumers in Oregon by farmers who raised and killed the animals themselves, though the products couldn’t enter interstate commerce.

While some may object to eating “cute bunnies,” the U.S. has a long tradition of using rabbits for food, and the bill would provide a leg-up to family farms, said Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale.

“You can’t get more more local and sustainable than small-scale rabbit farming in the state of Oregon,” he said.

The bill would simply add rabbits to state law provisions that currently allow for the on-farm slaughter of 1,000 chickens, Findley said. “We’re asking to be treated the exact same as chickens.”

To increase meat processing capacity in rural areas, lawmakers been investing in grants and regulatory programs largely focused on the slaughter of cattle and larger livestock, said Rep. Mark Owens, R-Crane.

“Inadvertently, we forgot about rabbits,” he said.

As with the existing licensing exemption for poultry, the 1,000 rabbits would still need to be processed according to sanitation rules set by the state Department of Agriculture. The agency would also be allowed to inspect the facility and its records.

“ODA can come in at any time and visit, so it’s done properly,” Owens said.

Without the exemption, the cost of hauling rabbits to a licensed slaughter facility would often eliminate any profits the grower would hope to see, he said.

Owens gave the example of Feather Goat Farm, a small producer in Baker County that inspired the bill. It currently faces a five-hour round-trip to deliver rabbits to the nearest processing facility.

Spending about $50,000 to install the equipment needed for state licensing is also cost-prohibitive for many growers, he said.

Chase Myatt, whose family owns Feather Goat Farm, began raising rabbits five years ago as part of his involvement in 4-H and FFA. The 13-year-old is now eyeing a commercial venture with the capacity to raise 500 rabbits a year.

Rabbits are an efficiently produced source of protein, with each female capable of birthing enough young to generate around 250 pounds of meat a year, Myatt said.

“I have the potential to produce sustainable meat for my community,” he said.