Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) celebrated victory last month as developers of the East Solano Plan (also known as California Forever) pulled their initiative from November’s ballot after public outcry.
The proposed development project, funded by billionaire tech interests, aimed to establish a new city in the middle of farmland, which if built, would have stressed limited water supplies and contributed to further sprawl on working lands.
Just as contentious, however, was the nefarious process by which these developers sought to achieve their vision. After secretly buying up thousands of acres of farmland, the developers launched an aggressive campaign to pass the initiative, suing farmers along the way. The proposal is now on hold pending further review.
“This is a reminder that the residents, farmers and community activists of Solano County have a strong voice and can achieve anything together. We have won against land grabbers, overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds,” said Alexis Koefoed, owner of Soul Food Farm and President of the Pleasants Valley Agriculture Association
“California Forever is the latest effort to auction California’s farmland and water to the highest bidder. It’s not just the land that would be lost, but also the stories, relationships, and a way of life that’s deeply connected to place. CAFF is committed to ensuring family farmers can stay on the land and we will continue to watchdog this effort and others like it across the state,” said Paul Towers, Executive Director of Community Alliance with Family Farmers
