Marin ag trust joins opposition to Measure J

Marin is home to 19 dairies, Sonoma County 48; California’s organic milk production is concentrated in just three places, according to state statistics: Humboldt, Marin and Sonoma counties.
photo credit: Marc Albert/KRCB
A 'No on J' sign attached to a fence at a farm along Blackney Road in Sebastopol on Sept. 17, 2024.

As you drive around Sonoma County these days, you’ll likely observe many more “No on Measure J” signs than “Yes on J” ones. Some of that opposition to the ballot measure that seeks to close down large animal agricultural operations extends to Marin County.

Lily Verdone is executive director of MALT, the Marin Agricultural Land Trust. Last week, the nonprofit weighed in on a campaign outside Marin’s borders: Sonoma County’s Measure J.

"Although the intention may be to address concerns about large scale farming practices, it's dangerously misguided," Verdone said. "And MALT is a local community-based organization, opposes Measure J, because it threatens the fabric of our farming and ranching community, not just in Sonoma County, but across the entire North Bay

Many of Sonoma and Marin county’s long standing dairies are concentrated in the rolling coastal hills between Nicasio in central Marin and the hamlet of Freestone in west Sonoma County. Verdone said it’s not only the landscape which flows seamlessly across county lines.

“Sonoma County, Marin County, the North Bay…we're leading the way in humane regenerative agriculture, that sets the scale and the pace across the nation,” Verdone told KRCB News. ”And so if we can't do it right here in the North Bay, it's not going be able to be done at scale throughout the nation.”

Marin is home to 19 dairies, Sonoma County 48; California’s organic milk production is concentrated in just three places, according to state statistics: Humboldt, Marin and Sonoma counties. In 2023, organic milk production in Sonoma and Marin counties accounted for nearly $70 million dollars in gross value. The two counties have also combined efforts to try and mitigate the climate effects of commercial agriculture.

The Sonoma Marin Ag and County Climate Coalition is a USDA-funded effort to create a sustainable, scalable, regional carbon finance program for the North Bay. It has support from organizations like MALT and the Sonoma Resource Conservation District.

Verdone said partnerships like that spurred MALT to take a stance on Measure J.

“Because of the unique position where we recognize that our food systems and our agricultural economy are interconnected across the North Bay, we needed to take a stand because Sonoma County and Marin County really work within that food system that is shared,” Verdone said.

Verdone told KRCB News that she, and the organization she leads, are concerned about both the potential economic impact Measure J would have on the two counties’ agricultural sectors,

And on the impact to the more ethereal “fabric” of the region - things like the agricultural green belt across Marin and Sonoma.

“It does a disservice to our community because we have led the way in organic farming, in regenerative farming, in local food, and really outstanding farm-to-table,” Verdone said. “This has always been the story of Sonoma County, Marin County, the North Bay, the San Francisco Bay Area.”

---