Voters in Northern California county to vote on whether to allow
large-scale farms
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[October 01, 2024] By
HAVEN DALEY
PETALUMA, Calif. (AP) — In a stretch of Northern California known for
scenic shorelines and celebrated vineyards, hundreds of brown-bodied
hens waddle around a large barn at Weber Family Farms.
“You provide them a stress-free environment with water, with food, with
fresh air at all times, make them free of illness — and they’re going to
reward you whether they’re going to give you milk, eggs or meat,” owner
Mike Weber said, proudly showing off his business that has hundreds of
thousands of chickens.
But some animal rights advocates say such large farms like Weber's are a
problem.
Kristina Garfinkel said she doesn’t believe in confining tens of
thousands of chickens in facilities that provide no access to the
outdoors, and she argues that these massive operations are actually
crowding out small egg and dairy farms and making it hard for them to
stay in business.
Garfinkel, lead organizer of the Coalition to End Factory Farming, has
been campaigning for a ballot measure aimed at putting an end to
large-scale confined animal agriculture in Sonoma County. Proponents say
the move is about the humane treatment of animals. But critics contend
it is a misguided effort that could harm local egg farming and dairies.
Residents in Sonoma County, which is home to half a million people north
of San Francisco, will vote this fall on the measure. The proposal would
require the county to phase out what federal authorities call
concentrated animal feeding operations, or farms where large numbers of
animals are kept in a confined setting.
The measure is supported by animal rights activists. But it has also
stoked a tremendous backlash, with residents posting massive numbers of
signs along roadways, in front yards and on farmland opposing Measure J.
Weber said California already has strict rules about how animals must be
treated, with farmers required to keep records, have annual inspections
and provide space for livestock. He believes the measure would put his
family's more than century-old farm — one of a series of county farms
that were walloped last year by avian influenza — out of business. His
commercial egg farm produces organic and conventional eggs as well as
organic fertilizers.
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A sign outside a business urges voters to reject Measure J, which
would phase out large-scale animal farms in Sonoma County, Thursday,
Sept. 19, 2024, in Petaluma, Calif. (AP Photo/Haven Daley)
“To come out with a blanket
statement that all animal agriculture is bad, therefore it’s our
mission to get rid of it, is absolutely unreasonable, and it’s not
American at all," he said.
Garfinkel said 21 large-scale farms would be affected by the measure
and would be given time to downsize their operations.
“It just impacts the largest, most destructive farms,” she said of
the measure.
In 2018, Californians overwhelmingly voted for a statewide ballot
measure requiring that all eggs in the state come from cage-free
hens. The nation's most populous state had already previously voted
for another measure to enhance the standards for raising such
animals.
Kathy Cullen, who runs a farm animal sanctuary, said she opposes
confining animals for any reason. But Cullen said proponents aren't
trying to shut down all farms, but rather asking them to change, and
that the measure has helped create more awareness about farm animal
welfare.
Farmers feel the measure has created awareness, too, about the
challenges they face, said Dayna Ghirardelli, executive director of
the Sonoma County Farm Bureau. Many local communities oppose the
measure in a county that has a long agricultural history and had
more than 3,000 farms in 2022, according to national agricultural
statistics.
The county is especially known for wine-grape growing, but it also
has dairies and poultry farms, as well as farms that grow vegetables
and apples.
“If we can find a silver lining, to a certain degree, it's bringing
the community together,” Ghirardelli said.
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