Frequently Asked Questions


Marin County Agricultural Statistics

  • Average farm size: 600 acres
  • Acreage devoted to agriculture: 168,000 (40% of total county)
  • Farm products by percent of total: livestock products (including milk)(53%); livestock & Poultry (26%); field, fruit & vegetable crops (15%); aquaculture (5%); nursery crops (1%)
  • Milk production alone: 20% of Bay Area's supply
  • Economic value of farms and ranches: $53 million in direct production and several times that in total economic contribution

Why preserve farmland?

Marin's agricultural landscape is an essential part of the character and environmental quality that make the county such an extraordinary place to live, work, and visit. As open space, farmland is more compatible with the conservation of natural resources such as wildlife habitat and watershed than any alternative private land use. Loss of agriculture would result in sprawl development that would affect water quality, visual and aesthetic quality, and biological, archaeological, and historical resources.

What is the history of Marin Agricultural Land Trust?

Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) is a member-supported, nonprofit organization created in 1980 by a coalition of local ranchers and environmentalists. MALT acts as a private conservation alternative to the sale, subdivision, or development of farmland by acquiring conservation easements in voluntary transactions with landowners. More than 40,500 acres on 63 Marin farms and ranches have been protected in this manner. MALT also encourages public policies that support agriculture and promotes public awareness of its importance. As the first land trust of its kind in the U.S., MALT has become a model for communities across the nation.

What is an agricultural conservation easement?

An agricultural conservation easement is a legal agreement between a landowner and MALT that prohibits non-agricultural residential or commercial development, subdivision, and uses or practices which would be destructive to the agricultural value of the land. The easement is recorded, and future owners are bound by its terms in perpetuity. The land remains privately owned and on the tax rolls. The value of an agricultural conservation easement is the difference between the land's restricted and unrestricted value.

What are MALT's funding sources?

MALT's conservation easement acquisitions are funded by individual contributions and by grants from foundations and state and local government agencies. MALT's operating budget is supported by 6,000 members and donors who contribute over $925,000 annually.

How does MALT's stewardship program work?

MALT monitors and enforces the agricultural easements it holds under its stewardship program. We also provide technical assistance to easement landowners on resource conservation and enhancement.

Where can I get more facts about agriculture
in Marin County, California?

The Amazing but True fact sheet, produced by University of California Cooperative Extension Service, Marin County, is an excellent resource that describes Marin's agricultural industry and its significance. To view it, you will need the Acrobat Reader®.

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