Know the Facts about Sunrise Farms
Seven of the estimated 21 Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) in Sonoma County are operated by a single company: Sunrise Farms LLC. These CAFOs range in size from just above the large CAFO threshold of 82,000 chickens all the way up to over 600,000 chickens.
A hen stuck in the wire of her cage inside Sunrise Farms at 395 Liberty Rd, Petaluma in 2016.
Back in the 1940s, there were over 4,000 egg farms in Sonoma County, but over the decades, the largest operations have grown at the expense of small farms. By 2015, there were only 157 egg farms left, with two large companies, Sunrise Farms LLC and Petaluma Farms, dominating the entire commercial industry. Over the years, Sunrise has sold eggs to Costco, Safeway, Walmart, Sam’s Club, Trader Joe’s and other large retail chains.
“Sunrise is one of two big egg producers left in a community that once had 2,700 and called itself the Egg Basket of the World.” - 2008 Press Democrat Editorial Article
Sunrise Farms was a major opponent to California’s Proposition 2, a ballot measure to outlaw intensive confinement of egg-laying hens, calves raised for veal, and pregnant pigs. In an opinion piece opposing Proposition 2, Sunrise Farms co-owner Arnie Riebli tried to convince consumers that keeping animals in cages is better for the wellbeing of the animals.
Proposition 2 passed in 2008 with 63.2% of Sonoma County voters voting for it. Despite the overwhelming support from voters across the state and here in Sonoma County, Arnie Riebli led a lawsuit against the State of California challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 2.
In addition to advocating against animal welfare improvements, Sunrise Farms co-owner Michael Weber has lied under oath about conditions and practices at his facilities. He lied when he denied that there is cannibalism among the birds at Sunrise and when he said that his employees do not kill birds by cervical dislocation (breaking their necks). After mortality sheets that listed cannibalism were brought up in court, Weber finally admitted that birds do regularly die from cannibalism at Sunrise Farms.
And you can see footage for yourself of Sunrise Farms employees killing birds by breaking their necks (scroll to the 1:45 minute mark), despite Weber’s sworn testimony that they don’t use this kill method.
This company is once again advocating against animal welfare advancements, trying to tell us that they are doing everything right and that there's no need for Measure J.
Sunrise Farms co-owner Michael Weber operates another commercial egg business called Weber Family Farms. Between the two, Sunrise and Weber Family Farms donated $120,000 to the opposition to Measure J. That’s a small sum for a company like Sunrise Farms, with over 60 million dollars in revenue. The company has also received huge government bailouts paid by our tax dollars during crises like the avian flu outbreak last year.
After Sunrise Farms and Weber Family Farms facilities experienced outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza late last year, they killed hundreds of thousands of birds to prevent the spread of the disease. This included more than 550,000 birds at one facility in Petaluma. Extreme confinement like that at Sunrise Farms is a major risk factor in spreading diseases such as avian flu. (It also causes stress and injuries for the animals.)
One method that Weber Family Farms used to kill birds after an outbreak in December 2023 is ventilation shutdown plus heat. It is a highly controversial mass kill method which involves sealing a building, turning off ventilation, and increasing the temperature until the animals inside die from heat stroke. The process takes hours, and it is widely condemned by veterinarians.
This cruelty was rewarded with an indemnity payment of $4.8 million from the federal government to compensate for the loss of income. In total, Sunrise Farms LLC and Weber Family Farms received over $9 million in indemnity payments for loss of income during the recent avian flu outbreak. Those are our tax dollars at work, propping up the factory farming industry so that it can continue to spread diseases that endanger animals and threaten to bring on the next pandemic.
Our government is failing to address the harms caused by factory farms. But we have a chance to protect animals, small farms, and the health of our entire community. Vote YES on Measure J this November to prohibit CAFOs in Sonoma County.