On April 14, former Save Family Farming board member Dan DeGroot submitted a letter to the editor of the Yakima Herald-Republic, voicing his concern about lopsided coverage of anti-farm activists’ claims in an April 3 article. John Taylor, Yakima Herald-Republic Opinion Editor, responded saying DeGroot needed to substantiate some of the comments in his letter, before it could be published. This is DeGroot’s response to Taylor:
Hello John,
Thanks for the response and for presenting the questions. It is difficult to provide this level of backing and substantiation within the 200-word limit. So, this provides an opportunity for a more detailed explanation of my skepticism of Jean Mendoza and We Are ELLA. Below are the full responses to your questions.
On Jean Mendoza’s coordination with federal regulators:
Save Family Farming obtained records through public records requests showing Jean Mendoza’s participation in quarterly meetings and communications with federal regulators regarding local dairies and related enforcement concerns in the Lower Yakima Valley. These findings were presented to the YHR last year. I am providing a few specific examples of the records that Save Family Farming uncovered and shared.
On whether Mendoza left the advisory committee:
Jean Mendoza served on the Groundwater Advisory Committee which initiated the Lower Yakima Valley Groundwater Management Area (GWMA). She did not agree with the Groundwater Advisory Committee’s recommendations, issued the only minority report, and tried to keep the GWMA from being certified. She has since actively opposed the GWMA’s actions. For better clarity, I would change that paragraph to read,
“Mendoza’s call for “regular, in-person listening and engagement” rings empty as she served on the Groundwater Advisory Committee but chose to oppose the committee’s recommendations and subsequent actions of the GWMA. She abandoned collaboration in favor of fighting.”
On ELLA receiving roughly $500,000 in public funding:
We Are ELLA was awarded $499,200.00 through the HEAL Community Capacity Grant program. I have attached the application document confirming the amount as well as the award acknowledgment.
On whether that funding is being used to fuel activism aimed at dismantling agriculture:
The funding application explains that funding will be used to “Create short film from short stories, reels”. Reviewing the short films and reels this organization distributes via their social media page will prove the anti-farm activism their platform and the short films and reels that they are being funded to produce. We Are ELLA has used its platform to publish anti-dairy and anti-farm advocacy content while receiving substantial public funding through the HEAL grant.
On ELLA content lacking credible data, citations, or scientific backing:
There are numerous videos and posts that We Are ELLA has made on their social media pages that makes claims about agriculture, including dairies, without accompanying scientific citations, source documentation, or verifiable evidence presented in the content itself. They have made claims such as:
- Farmworkers are being exposed to “deadly pesticides” causing devastating health conditions including cancer.
- The smell of cow manure is an environmental justice issue.
- Over 99% of nitrogen pollution in the Lower Yakima Valley is coming from dairy farms.
- It’s “a fact” that lots of soil in the Lower Yakima Valley is no longer healthy because farmers are overusing nitrogen fertilizers.
- Farming in the Yakima Valley is “pouring poison into the waterways, and people are left to suffer the consequences.”
- Farming in the Yakima Valley has caused the deaths of many people.
This is just to name a handful. Where are the sources for these outrageous messages? These should be pushed back on before you allow your paper to platform this agenda-driven activist group with a goal of damaging agriculture in this area.
Let me know if you have any additional questions. Thank you.
Dan DeGroot