Measure J is the single biggest threat to Sonoma County today — threatening local farmers, jobs and our agricultural heritage. Measure J is a misguided initiative, spearheaded by activists from Berkeley, aiming to dismantle the county’s diverse agriculture sector, putting at risk not only the livelihoods of multigenerational farm families but also the very fabric of our local sustainable food system.
There is nothing in the ballot measure that directly addresses environmental or animal welfare practices. Measure J is not supported by any agricultural experts, large animal veterinarians or animal welfare certifiers.
Sonoma County’s family farmers are more than producers; they are stewards of our land, caretakers of our agricultural heritage and key contributors to our local economy. For generations, these families have provided our community with fresh, local, high-quality dairy and poultry products. Measure J would force many of these farms to close their operations, triggering a domino effect of economic impacts, job losses and loss of farmworker housing that would ripple through the entire county. As stated in the county’s independent study, for every job lost in the agricultural sector there is an additional job lost in the Sonoma County economy.
In a time of economic uncertainty, Measure J will also disproportionately harm local food production and farmworkers who depend on animal agriculture for their livelihoods.
The consequences of such a scenario are dreadful. We would find ourselves increasingly dependent on imported products, a shift that not only undermines local food availability but impairs the farm-to-table movement and access to locally produced products.
Contrary to the narrative pushed by Measure J proponents, Sonoma County farmers are at the forefront of animal welfare and climate smart agricultural programs. Dairy farms prioritize pasture-raised cattle, while poultry operations lead the way in cage-free egg and meat production and provide a source of valuable organic compost from chicken manure for farmers and gardeners around the state.
The significance of Sonoma County’s agricultural sector extends far beyond our borders. Nearly 50% of California’s organic milk originates in Sonoma County. Passage of Measure J would severely impact iconic brands like Clover Sonoma and Straus Family Creamery, unduly impacting many of their farms and undermining their ability to continue producing the products that have made them household names.
The economic ramifications of Measure J cannot be overstated. An independent study projected that its implementation could result in a staggering economic loss exceeding a half-billion dollars. This is not just a number on paper; it represents thousands of jobs, families uprooted and a severe blow to the diverse economic ecosystem that has made Sonoma County thrive.
Additionally, Measure J would actually harm the environment it purports to protect. Animal agriculture in Sonoma County plays a crucial role in environmental stewardship. Grazing cows on pastures surrounding cities, for instance, create a buffer, reducing the risk of catastrophic fire in our drought-prone region. Additionally, farmers employ sustainable practices helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions by cutting methane and carbon dioxide emissions and storing carbon in soil, contributing to the fight against climate change.
Forced closure of farms would not only eliminate these benefits but could also lead to unintended ecological consequences. Animals from closed farms might be sold to out-of-state operations with less stringent welfare and environmental standards, effectively exporting our environmental responsibility and potentially worsening overall conditions for farm animals.
Further, proponents of Measure J use the term “factory farms” (which has no legal definition but does confuse and alarm voters) and concentrated animal feeding operations, which is a state and federal technical term that applies to livestock businesses that are regulated to ensure water and environmental quality and has no relationship to the number of animals.
The flaws in Measure J are evident in the broad coalition opposing it. This diverse group includes the Democratic and Republican parties, local dairy processors Clover Sonoma and Straus Family Creamery, labor, agriculture and environmental organizations, local, state and federal elected officials, and hundreds of local farmers and ranchers.
Join us and vote no on Measure J. For more information and to see our full list of endorsements, go to votenoonmeasureJ.com
Michael Benedetti is senior director of sustainability for Clover Sonoma. Jordan Mahrt is a member of the family that owns Petaluma Egg Farm.
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