Recent Press

MALT's Impressive Work is Adding Up
Marin Independent Journal
Wednesday, January 9, 2008

THE NATURE OF agriculture in West Marin is undergoing a transformation, with the families running ranches and dairies seeking out new ways to remain profitable and stay on their land.

It is important to remember that agriculture is still the county's largest industry, which is why this new sense of energy is encouraging.

The Marin Agriculture Land Trust, the first such trust in the nation to focus on farmland preservation, continues to play an important role in preventing development on agriculture land in the county while putting money in the hands of those ranchers and farmers.

MALT rounded up $3 million from a variety of sources to pay for nonagricultural development rights on two ranches covering 1,000 acres near Tomales.

MALT, a nonprofit started in 1980, now has easements limiting nonagricultural development on 61 family farms and ranches totaling 40,000 acres. That is an impressive accomplishment that has happened one farm at a time.

Family farming and ranching is still a risky business involving long hours and hard work, but a deal with MALT often takes some of the financial pressure off a family and allows new directions to be explored and the land to remain in the family.

The Poncia Ranch's 750 acres east of Highway 1 borders Walker Creek and has been in the family since 1915 - four generations of Poncias. Gene Poncia lives on the land and raises dairy and beef cattle. He wants to pass the land along to his son and the $2 million from MALT will allow him to buy back the half of the ranch that he doesn't own.

Development rights aren't cheap. MALT's long record of success is one reason why government agencies and groups are willing to commit big chunks of cash to the nonprofit. For the Poncia deal, $500,000 came from the federal government, the Natural Resources Conservation Service Farm and Ranchlands Protection program. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (he is a former Intel executive) and the state Coastal Conservancy each contributed $750,000.

Sam Schuchat of the Coastal Conservancy was right when he said, "Working farms are important to the economy and heritage of West Marin."

MALT spent $1 million on rights at the 243-acre Tomales Farm and Dairy - the old Cerini Ranch - that is on Highway 1 in Tomales. The Coastal Conservancy also kicked in $750,000 for the deal. MALT members and donors are to be commended for contributing the other $250,000.

The dairy's prominent location and historical role in Tomales make this deal significant. The owners also deserve credit for agreeing to take $1 million less than the appraised value of the land.

Ted Hall, one of the owners, says they hope to make cheese from milk that comes from seasonally grass-fed cows.

We wish him success.

And we congratulate the Marin Agricultural Land Trust for 27 years of working to preserve and promote the vital heritage of farming and ranching in the county.

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