As dust settles, Measure J feud equips farmers, activists for future battles By Jessica Zimmer F
armers and activists learned an enormous amount from their respective campaigns on Measure J, a 2024 Sonoma County proposition that would have shut down or required operational modifications from numerous animal agriculture businesses. Both sides plan to use these lessons in fights over animal agriculture-focused local and state legislation in the years to come. The most important takeaway, for all parties, was getting a sense of the landscape: identifying allies and gaining knowledge of the other side’s tactics. Ultimately Measure J, which sought to prohibit Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, or CAFOs, was voted down by 85% of voters. A wide variety of donors and news outlets paid close attention to the Measure J campaigns, showing the legislation was of interest to myriad agricultural industries and activist networks. The topic was also discussed by state, national and international audiences. For example, the California Association of Winegrape Growers, a Sacramento-based trade organization for the California wine industry, monitored the progress of Measure J. Lush Cosmetics, a UK-based cosmetics company that is opposed to animal testing, donated $8,100 to the Coalition to End Factory Farming (CEFF), which supported Measure J.
March 2025
NorthBaybiz 45
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