Berkeley’s Measure DD is an initiative that aims to ban large livestock facilities from operating in Berkeley. These facilities are officially known as Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (or CAFOs). These facilities confine 700 or more animals for 45 days or more in a 12-month period.
Here’s how it works:
If Measure DD passes, it will establish a penalty of $10,000 per violation per day for large livestock operations and open them up to lawsuits
The last large livestock operation in Berkeley was Golden Gate Fields — a race track which held 1400 horses. It closed in June of 2024, and Berkeley now has no large livestock operation.
Why then is this measure on the ballot? One answer is that Berkeley often brings progressive measures to their ballot.
Supporters of the measure like Compassionate Bay and Animal Legal Defense Fund at Berkeley Law say these operations are a leading cause of environmental pollution and global warming. And they cause a lot of animal suffering.
Currently, there is no opposition to Measure DD.
So, to recap:
A "yes" vote on Measure DD will mean a ban on large livestock operations in Berkeley.
If you vote "no", you vote to allow these operations in Berkeley.
That’s a brief take on Berkeley’s Measure DD.