From:
To: City Council
Subject: No on Measure J- Sebastopol City Council Meeting 9/17 Date: Tuesday, September 17, 2024 11:01:42 AM
Good Morning. My name is Liz Bell and I am asking for your support to stand up against the Coalition to End Factory Farming and show your support for No on J. As a resident of Sebastopol and a small rancher here in our community, it is imperative that you stand up for our local farmers. I have lived in Sonoma County for just over five and a half years. I have had the privilege to work for some of the highest quality wineries in Sonoma County. I have very close friends who own restaurants here in Sebastopol that rely on products produced by some of the most caring and thoughtful farmers in the state. My wife and I own a small ranching operation here in Sebastopol, producing quality beef and lamb. Both of us are first generation farmers.
We started our business
during the pandemic when the cards were already stacked against us. We chose to get into farming because we wanted to have a better understanding of where our food comes from and how to raise animals in the healthiest and most humane way possible. We care for our animals. We treat our animals with respect and kindess. Making sure they are healthy and cared for has been our top priority always. Farming in itself, is not an easy task. It requires patience, kindness, giving your whole soul, knowing that there will be challenges presented, and sometimes making tough decisions. Farmers are the backbone of our communities. We keep food on people's tables and in the time we've been raising our animals, it can be a thankless job.
My wife and I have been featured in multiple Coalition to End Factory Farming's social media videos and have not been painted in the best light. We have faced scrutiny from all types of people for the career path we have chosen. People calling us murderers, making fun of our looks, telling us they hope we rot in hell. These folks have come into our community and have turned everyone's world upside down. From breaking and entering, trespassing, violating our privacy, starting fires, violating the safety of our animals by spreading disease, violating the safety of workers and families who live on these properties. Most of these folks behind this coalition are facing felony charges for their actions. The toll these people have taken on our mental health has gone far beyond what any person who provides goods and services to our communities should ever have to go through. I am asking you, today, to stand up against this behavior. Stand up for our farmers, restaurants, and other community members whose businesses will be affected by this measure, if it were to pass.
Thank You,
Liz Bell