Sonoma County Conservation Action strongly opposes Measure J, the so-called Factory Farm initiative. Despite its intention to address environmental and animal welfare concerns, Measure J poses significant risks to Sonoma County’s sustainable and organic farming communities that have been at the forefront of innovative, environmentally friendly agriculture nationwide.
If passed, Measure J could lead to unintended consequences, undermining the very goals it seeks to achieve. For instance, it threatens to increase greenhouse gas emissions by forcing the closure of local farms, which currently supply fresh, organic food to our region. As a result, we would rely on food transported from distant locations, increasing our carbon footprint. Additionally, animals raised in other counties likely have less stringent animal welfare and environmental regulations than Sonoma County.
We must work to strengthen existing local environmental and animal welfare regulations in Sonoma, not create new, redundant, and conflicting systems.
Instead of promoting environmental stewardship, Measure J harms the local economy by destabilizing small and sustainable farms. These farms provide high-quality food, jobs, and support local businesses. By marginalizing farming and potentially driving farms out of business, the farmland that provides the greenbelts we value may disappear. Farmland protects Sonoma County from the sprawling development we see in places like Los Angeles. Measure J overlooks the important role local organic farms play in maintaining biodiversity and healthy ecosystems through sustainable practices like crop rotation and polyculture.
SCCA joins its longtime allies, Occidental Arts and Ecology Center, and Community Alliance for Family Farms Sonoma, to VOTE NO on Measure J. Supporting local farms is crucial to preserving our environment, community, and economy.
CORRECTION: In an earlier version of this article we mistakenly included the Sierra Club Redwood Chapter as endorsing a NO on Measure J position, when in fact the Sierra Club has not taken a position on Measure J.