A Fifth-Generation Farmer Speaks Out
Stephanie Moreda-Arend, fifth-generation farmer from Moreda Family Farms in the Pinaluma–Point Reyes area, has been at the forefront of a battle to preserve family farming in California. With decades of history on the land, she shares the challenges her community faces from powerful nonprofits, legal pressures, and political shifts—and why small, sustainable farms matter now more than ever.
Legal Battles Threaten Centuries of Farming
Stephanie explained that 14 multi-generational farms in Point Reyes, some operating for 150–200 years, have been forced to vacate leased National Seashore lands due to lawsuits by NGOs and NPOs. “On January 9th, 2025, most of those farms signed settlement agreements and moved off,” she said. Only a few remain, fighting to keep their operations alive.
She emphasized that the push to remove farmers often comes from wealthy donors behind these organizations, rather than environmental concerns. “The whole push isn’t about what’s best for the land or the environment—it’s about what they want the seashore to look like.”
Congress has opened an investigation, and Stephanie remains cautiously hopeful that oversight could help preserve the remaining farms. The recent passing of Representative Doug LaMalfa, a champion for Point Reyes agriculture, adds further uncertainty.
Quality Food Depends on Healthy Farms
Sustainable farming in Point Reyes is not just about tradition; it’s about producing nutrient-dense food. Stephanie highlighted the link between soil quality, water, and animal care:
“You can’t get good quality beef or milk on poor quality soil, grass, or water. Farmers have to protect the environment because their livelihoods depend on it.”
Misconceptions about manure and organic fertilizers persist, she noted, and these narratives often shape public opinion. “Manure isn’t waste—it’s the foundation for organic soil and healthy crops,” Stephanie explained.
The Human Cost: Families and Communities
Every farm lost represents families displaced from homes and jobs, especially in California’s housing crisis. Stephanie estimates that 120–150 families may be affected, requiring new schools, careers, and homes. “It’s a major upheaval of people’s lives, and it’s just not right,” she said.
This human element underscores that the fight for Point Reyes farms isn’t just about cows and crops—it’s about the people who sustain them.
National Attention and Advocacy
The story of Point Reyes has reached Washington, with support from figures like Brooke Rollins and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., who have helped raise awareness in the White House. Stephanie emphasizes that this advocacy is vital for protecting small, organic, regenerative farms and ensuring that high-quality food remains available.
Stephanie also encourages the public to take action:
“Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok at Dairy Girl Diaries, share the story, and reach out to policymakers. Supporting small farms protects our food, our environment, and our communities.”
Educating the Next Generation
Stephanie credits programs like 4-H and FFA for preparing young people for real-world farming. “They teach economics, animal husbandry, responsibility, and community,” she said. She urges parents to get their children involved, cultivating the next generation of farmers who understand sustainable practices and the value of local agriculture.
Looking Ahead
Stephanie’s life has changed as the Point Reyes story has gone national, but she remains grounded. “Ultimately, I want to be out here with our cows, producing quality food,” she said. While she has considered political involvement to advocate for farmers’ rights, her first commitment is to hands-on farming.
Her story is a vivid reminder of the stakes: preserving small family farms preserves our food supply, our economy, and a way of life that sustains generations.
Thank you for the opportunity to chat,
Stephanie, Dairy Girl Diaries
“And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, “I need a caretaker”
— so God made a Farmer.”
Stephanie’s insights go far beyond this summary. Listen to the full interview on Ag Net News to hear her firsthand stories from the farm, the courtroom, and the national spotlight.
Stephanie Moreda-Arend, DAIRY GIRL DIARIES™ is a fifth-generation dairy farmer born and raised in Sonoma County California. Today she works alongside her parents on their dairy farm. Her political activism journey began when an extremist group targeted farms in Sonoma County through legislative action to define factory farms, which would shut down 50% of all farms, including her family farm. Shortly after another part of the local dairy and ranch community shared that they were forced to close by powerful NGO‘s and NPO‘s in an effort to get rid of farming in Point Reyes. Today her focus has grown globally to help bringing awareness to the many tactics, corruption and attacks on farming through her social media platforms, which include Instagram, Facebook, X, Threads, TikTok & Lemon8