Community public potlucks are illegal in Oregon.  Some county health departments are strictly enforcing this rule, preventing gatherings where food is shared.  The Oregon State Grange recently approved the following resolution and is pursuing the legalization of potlucks.  

Please help this effort by signing this petition.  Here is the Oregon State Grange resolution:

WHEREAS public community potlucks offer a time-tested way to counter loneliness, meet neighbors, and build relationships that foster civic teamwork;

WHEREAS public community potlucks can provide a forum to discuss interesting topics and learn about important issues;

WHEREAS public community potlucks can offer a place to educate people about local farm-raised products, culinary arts, and cultural foodways;

WHEREAS Oregon administrative rules prohibit people from sharing home-cooked food at public events that are accompanied by public outreach so that people know they are happening;

WHEREAS enforcement of these rules vary around the state, yet are an impediment to traditional gatherings for some communities;

WHEREAS these rules make Oregon one of the least hospitable states in the country with regard to community potluck gatherings; therefore be it 

RESOLVED that we endorse reforms to our state’s administrative rules governing potlucks, so that people can share home-cooked food at inclusive community events.

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Here’s a common-sense clause from Minnesota that clearly carves out public potlucks from the enforcement of laws governing commercial events.

Minnesota law specifically exempts: “food not prepared at an establishment and brought in by individuals attending a potluck event for consumption at the potluck event. An organization sponsoring a potluck event under this clause may advertise the potluck event to the public through any means. Individuals who are not members of an organization sponsoring a potluck event under this clause may attend the potluck event and consume the food at the event. Licensed food establishments other than schools cannot be sponsors of potluck events. A school may sponsor and hold potluck events in areas of the school other than the school's kitchen, provided that the school's kitchen is not used in any manner for the potluck event.”