BARNYARD BRAWL: A new front in the fight between agriculture and animal rights activists in California may soon be opening in an unexpected place.
Advocates are collecting signatures for a ballot initiative in Sonoma County that would phase out farms determined to be “concentrated animal feeding operations,” a technical term that activists use interchangeably with “factory farms.”
Backers of the initiative estimate that 50 to 60 agricultural operations will meet the definition, out of about 1,000 total in the county, though local farmers view it in more apocalyptic terms.
“The face of our entire county could change,” says Dayna Ghirardelli, executive director of the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.
This would be a merely local matter except that changing demographics and land-use patterns in California suggest that a measure like this could spread to other parts of the state and nation — a point upon which both critics and supporters agree.
“We certainly hope that other initiatives will follow but, ideally, they would be really led by people in their own community,” said Cassie King, an organizer with Direct Action Everywhere, a Berkeley organization known for confrontational protests that is part of a coalition working to pass the Sonoma ballot measure.
Ghirardelli said the local farmers are expecting help from the California Farm Bureau and national groups to put up a defense.
“There's absolutely a fear in the state and I'm sure in the nation with different interest groups trying to kind of force their way of thinking onto others and that this could potentially become a threat to other areas,” she said.
California, of course, is the nation’s leading agricultural state — and it is also a place where support for animal rights runs strong. In 2018, voters approved Proposition 12 — which set new minimum requirements for farmers to provide more space for egg-laying hens, breeding pigs and calves raised for veal — with nearly 63 percent of the vote. The Supreme Court upheld the law last May.
Direct Action Everywhere and other organizations hoped for statewide action with a bill in 2022 but it never got out of committee. Their argument, then as now in Sonoma County, is that concentrated animal feeding operations are inhumane, bad for the environment and a potential threat to public health — a position strongly contested by farmers.
The farm bureau’s Ghirardelli said the definition of concentrated animal feeding operations set by the Environmental Protection Agency, which the proposed initiative would rely on, includes family-owned, organic ranches and dairies in a county that is dependent on agriculture, though it is best known for its famous wine industry.
For now, this fight appears headed for the ballot. Organizers have until March 5 to collect 20,000 signatures and already have more than enough.
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Cost of living is skyrocketing and millions of Californians are being priced out of their homes… and their lives. Earned Wage Access provides a lifeline – giving hard-working Californians access to their wages as they earn them, NOT when their employers choose to pay. Governor Newsom’s DFPI shouldn’t limit these offerings by misclassifying early access to wages as a loan. Governor Newsom: Protect people’s financial options. Learn more here.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TODAY
[REDACTED] — A bill requiring the state’s elections watchdog to redact lawmakers’ personal information from their yearly financial disclosures sailed through the Assembly this afternoon.
The proposal, introduced by Anaheim Democratic Assemblymember Avelino Valencia, would expand existing law to not only protect lawmakers’ signatures, but also their phone numbers, personal addresses, and the address of any business or real property interests they own on their Statements of Economic Interests, commonly known as form 700s.
After some pushback from good governance groups, who were concerned about transparency involving elected officials’ financial interests, Avelino said he’s willing to amend AB 1170 to only redact the addresses where lawmakers actually live.
The bill received 58 aye votes and none in opposition. It now moves to the Senate for committee hearings.
DULY NOTED
Christina Pascucci sits at an anchor desk. | Courtesy of Christina Pascucci campaign
Christina Pascucci, the former Los Angeles TV anchor running for U.S. Senate, should have been described on the March ballot as “Local Television Journalist,” the Secretary of State’s Office says in a press release. Due to an administrative error, she was listed as “no ballot designation.” The update won’t appear on the ballot or voter guides, which have already been printed, but the change will be reflected on the office’s website.
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ON THE BEATS
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. | Francis Chung/POLITICO
AVOIDING PAST MISTAKES: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman today announced a program to address risks to children from artificial intelligence as he made one of his first public appearances since a high-profile leadership struggle last year.
Altman announced that OpenAI will join with the nonprofit Common Sense Media to create AI-safety guidelines and educational materials for parents and teachers. He and Common Sense CEO Jim Steyer announced the pact during his group’s annual child safety summit in downtown San Francisco.
Tech safety advocates like Steyer have often warned that artificial intelligence has the potential to do tremendous harm to children if it’s not properly regulated and parents aren’t educated about its dangers.
Altman said the partnership with OpenAI could help strengthen safety protocols and show how “AI offers incredible benefits for families and teens.” While few details of the agreement were released, Steyer said the organizations will soon announce new features to make the ChatGPT platform safer for young people.
BATTLE FOR THE HOUSE: At least four congressional races in California are top targets for Democrats seeking to retake control of the House.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee today announced that the four are among 17 across the nation that will be the first to receive money and resources as part of its “red to blue” campaign for the 2024 cycle.
Democrats need to capture just five seats now held by Republicans to recapture the House, and each of the four targeted by the DCCC are obvious selections.
The House Democrats’ campaign arm is backing Adam Gray, who lost to Rep. John Duarte for a Central Valley seat by 564 votes last time around. Similarly, they are backing Rudy Salas, who came within about 3,000 votes of unseating Rep. David Valadao in a nearby district.
Also on the list is Will Rollins, the former federal prosecutor from Palm Springs who nearly toppled Rep. Ken Calvert. They are also supporting George Whitesides, a former CEO of Virgin Galactic running against Rep. Mike Garcia in a competitive district north of Los Angeles. — Sarah Grace Taylor
COVER ME: With just a few days until the deadline, Californians are signing up for health insurance in higher numbers than the state has seen in years.
Covered California, the state’s insurance marketplace for those who don’t get it through work or Medicaid, says there’s been a 13 percent increase in new enrollment over last year. It’s higher in some places — up 24 percent in Santa Clara County and 27 percent in Kern County.
The reasons for the increase are not yet clear. One possible explanation is that people are purchasing from the marketplace because they no longer qualify for Medi-Cal. Another factor may be the additional state and federal money for subsidies, which have been touted in ads.
Nationally, 21.3 million people have enrolled in Affordable Care Act plans, similar to those available through Covered California. That’s a new record that Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra is expected to tout Tuesday at an event in San Francisco. — Rachel Bluth
A message from The American Fintech Council:
Hundreds of thousands of working Californians use or have used Earned Wage Access to cover unexpected expenses or stay up-to-date on their bills without resorting to high-interest loans. Earned Wage Access has no impact on credit, no mandatory fees, and keeps people out of debt. In fact, Earned Wage Access helps diverse, everyday Californians maintain financial flexibility, reach financial stability, and build financial momentum for themselves and their families.
Governor Newsom’s DFPI is set to enact rules to make it harder for working Californians to use earned wage access products, pushing them towards risky, more expensive, and far less forgiving options. California can’t afford to go backwards.
Governor Newsom: Don’t leave Californians in the lurch. Protect people’s right to choose the financial options that work for them, on their own terms. Protect Earned Wage Access.
ANTI-SOCIAL MEDIA: Garry Tan, a political donor and CEO of the startup accelerator Y Combinator, apologized after saying on X that seven members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors should “die slow.” (San Francisco Chronicle)
AKA WINTER: Storms will roll across the state this week, bringing up to a foot of snow to the Sierra and an inch or more of rain to some places but not the epic “megaflood” that’s been the subject of internet chatter. (Los Angeles Times)
