By Dayna Ghirardelli, Executive Director
It is hard to articulate effectively and appropriately the gratitude I have for the tens of thousands of Sonoma County residents who opposed Measure J at the ballot box. While there are still more ballots to be counted, we can be certain that Measure J was defeated handily- The Press Democrat Editorial Board aptly referred to it as a “shellacking.”
Over the last several months, there was a long list of people who went above and beyond for the cause. Thank you to those who committed to weekly or bi-weekly Farmers Markets. Thank you to those who spent hours at their keyboard educating others and dispelling misinformation. Thank you to those who used their creativity to educate on social media. Thank you to those who took it upon themselves to knock on the doors of a stranger who had a great spot to put up a No on J sign. Thank you to those who didn’t wait for an organized event but got out there and waved signs. Thank you to those who wore their No on J buttons to invoke conversations. Thank you to those who always boasted a No on J position wherever you were standing. Thank you to those who presented at various events and neighborhood gatherings. Thank you to those who attended city council meetings to provide comment. Thank you to those who posted a sign at their business or residence. This was truly a community effort!
Measure J has inspired perhaps the largest coalition in Sonoma County’s history, bringing together diverse groups united in protecting our county’s agricultural heritage. The Sonoma County Family Farmers Alliance and the No on Measure J Committee are deeply grateful for the widespread support, from individuals publicly endorsing the campaign to those who voted to preserve local farms, food security, and rural lifestyles.
All of this participation was sparked not only by the desire to beat this, but to beat it so significantly that the supporters of the measure would not come back. Initial results showed that we defeated the measure with 85% of the votes. That is a 70-point spread that should clearly send a message. Anyone with any ounce of consideration or respect would be deterred, but not them. They are not going away. In fact, they’ve already started dissecting this campaign to determine what they can glean from it for next time. They even held another protest at Petaluma Poultry Processors the Saturday after the election. These people are egregious and obnoxious. I question their humanity as I watch our farmers in angst defending the care of their animals and pride in land stewardship.
We are leaders in sustainability. We are leaders in climate-smart agriculture. We are leaders in regenerative practices. We are leaders in quality food production. It is no wonder that Measure J was opposed by a broad, robust, and diverse group of organizations and businesses.
A silver lining to this horrible measure is the broad coalition of support that stood with conviction in agreement that we love our farmers, we love local food, and we love Sonoma County! It is an indication of the opportunity to break down barriers and harness this foundational momentum that has been created among agricultural, environmental, labor, and business organizations. Let’s build upon this with a stronger more unified coalition to protect Sonoma County agriculture well into the future.
I am looking forward to working together to build an even stronger, more concentrated coalition that strengthens our right to farm. That protects our local foodshed while protecting and enhancing our environment. That maintains jobs and promotes our local foods. Now is the time for collective innovation in education and policy.
Advocacy and the protection of farmers and food production have and always will be the core intention of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. As I’ve said so many times as of late, we are truly blessed by the abundance of local food, fiber, and farm products that we produce here in Sonoma County, that when we say “local,” it is literally in our backyard. Other counties in the bay area cannot produce what we can, so Sonoma County is their local. Sonoma County farming, ranching, and dairying are ALWAYS worth fighting for!
So, we will continue to stay involved in the formation and execution of the Region 1 Water Quality Vineyard Permit, serving as a partner and advocate to our wine growers. We will continue to work towards making sure that the Local Coastal Plan serves the needs and protection of our farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners. We will work closer with the Region 2 Water Quality Control Board on their Equine Waste Discharge Requirements to serve as a liaison between horse facility owners and regulations. And, with the general plan update coming before County, we will guarantee our seat at the table. Many of you may be asked to participate in the process to ensure that the construction of our County’s guiding document provides robust protections for agriculture for today and well into the future.
These are all tall tasks that will take passion, tenacity, fortitude, partnerships, and strong coalitions. Much like the fight against Measure J and look at how that turned out!
