Dayna Ghirardelli, executive director of California’s Sonoma County Farm Bureau, is an example of how one’s upbringing can shape one’s values and career. Born and raised in Petaluma, CA, she was brought up on her family’s dairy farm. This not only instilled in her a deep understanding of the industry’s demands but also laid the foundation for her future career.
Dayna has channeled her wealth of expertise and dedication into a robust campaign against Sonoma County’s Measure J, a measure that seeks to regulate concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), posing a threat to family farms and carrying significant economic implications.
Deep ag roots
“Agriculture has always been in my blood,” Dayna told WLJ.
Dayna grew up participating in 4-H and FFA, showing dairy cattle and raising market lambs. After graduating from Tomales High School, Dayna’s passion for the industry led her to Chico State, where she graduated with a degree in animal industry, which blends together animal science and agricultural business.
After graduating, Dayna returned to Sonoma County, stepping into a role with the University of California Cooperative Extension as the dairy program representative for Marin and Sonoma counties. When starting the position, Dayna was asked what her least favorite part of the dairy industry was, and she answered that it was the environmental aspect. From that day on, Dayna said 98% of her position was to help dairy farms with ranch plans, environmental regulations and compliance.
After starting a family, Dayna spent time as a local consultant working with dairy farms on water quality permits and transitioning to organic. When her children started school, Dayna began working at Clover (Stornetta) Sonoma in producer relations, working for the company for 12 years.
In 2020, Dayna said she went a little out of her comfort zone and joined the California Milk Advisory Board as director of producer relations.
In 2022, Dayna was approached about the Sonoma County Farm Bureau executive director position, which she said felt like the right move.
“It brought me back home,” Dayna said. “It brought me back to my local community. It still allowed me to stay connected with the dairy industry. But what I really was excited about, and still am, is being able to be ingrained in all of agriculture in Sonoma County. So, I’m learning a lot, and still have a lot to learn, but that’s what brought me back here.”
Dayna said her years of membership and belief in the farm bureau mission have driven her to advocate for and protect the rural landscape, local agriculture and food production, which are the lifeblood of the community.
“There are so many issues,” she said, highlighting challenges such as water preservation, droughts, recovering from wildfires, the recent closing of an apple processing plant and the need for meat processing plants. However, amidst these ongoing challenges, one issue stands out as particularly urgent and demanding: Measure J.
Measure J
This measure was put on the Sonoma County November ballot by the Coalition to End Factory Farming, a parallel effort of the animal rights organization Direct Action Everywhere.
If the measure is adopted, the Sonoma County Code would be amended to phase out existing CAFOs and prohibit future CAFOs in all unincorporated areas of the county outside the coastal zone. Existing CAFOs will have three years to cease operations, with daily penalties imposed for violations, and the agricultural commissioner will be responsible for enforcing compliance.
The measure exempts non-profit animal shelters, sanctuaries, rescue organizations and temporary stables during natural disasters or emergencies. Additionally, the agricultural commissioner would develop best management practices, establish a job-retraining program for CAFO workers, and present an annual compliance report to the board of supervisors.
Dayna is one of the people at the forefront of the opposition, arguing that the measure would impose severe economic burdens on farmers and disrupt the region’s agricultural heritage.
“This measure that’s being put in front of us is not just a direct threat to food production, but it is a direct threat to food consumption and taking away a person’s right to choose what’s on their plate or in their glass,” Dayna said. “It’s taking away phenomenal sources of quality proteins and quality nutrition, simply because they don’t believe in it.”
According to the Sonoma County Department of Agriculture, in 2022, the total value of agriculture was over $796 million. While wine grapes accounted for the majority of that value, milk accounted for over $67 million and cattle over $20 million. The value of livestock and poultry products decreased 29% compared to 2021.
Dayna said that the proponents are claiming “only currently 21 farms” fit the definition of a CAFO in the ballot language, but all farms play a crucial role in the local economy and this measure will undoubtedly affect everyone. She cited a study completed by the CSU Chico Agribusiness, funded by UC Cooperative Extension, for the board of supervisors that showed the direct economic impact, coupled with ancillary effects, could amount to approximately half a billion dollars. Dayna said the figure doesn’t account for the additional costs associated with labor and other changes that would result from the measure’s implementation.
The agricultural commissioner, charged with enforcing the new regulations, estimates an annual cost of at least $1.6 million for salaries and benefits alone. Additionally, Human Services would be responsible for retraining displaced farm workers at an estimated cost of $1.5 million per year, but even that is under the best circumstances, she said.
Dayna has been actively engaging with community members, policymakers and stakeholders to convey the potential consequences of Measure J.
“The emotions and anxiety among our farming community is so high,” Dayna noted, underscoring the emotional and financial stakes of the campaign​. Her efforts have included extensive grassroots mobilization and strategic communication to ensure that the voices of local farmers are heard. She and the farm bureau have also been educating the public about the measure’s impact by raising awareness and participating in local events.
“We have to figure out a way to tell our story, to connect with people, to connect with consumers, to connect with voters—not just in election years, but all the time,” Dayna said.
With Measure J posing a significant challenge, Dayna’s fight is a testament to her lifelong dedication to agriculture and her unwavering commitment to the future of local farming. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
