Farmland Protection

The Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) was founded in 1980 to protect family farms in Marin County from mounting development pressures. In the decades since its founding, MALT has continued to advance farmland protection and preserve agriculture throughout West Marin.

To date, we have safeguarded 58,917 acres through the acquisition of 98 agricultural conservation easements. There are innumerable benefits of this work. In protecting farmland, MALT strengthens:

• A thriving agricultural community; 
• The economic viability of West Marin family-owned farms and ranches; 
• A robust local food system that provides sustainably-produced foods to communities throughout the Bay Area and beyond; 
• The ecological health of habitat for more than 100 species of wildlife; and
• Scenic, climate-resilient landscapes.

Since our founding, MALT has protected 58,917 acres of agricultural land—an area almost twice the size of San Francisco. This growing network of conserved farm and ranch land makes up the majority of privately owned agricultural land in West Marin. 

Beyond the natural beauty, this interconnected network of protected lands provides the backbone for our region’s ecological resilience, our thriving local food economy, and our community’s vitality and well-being.

Watch the video below and hear from our staff and board about the value of MALT’s work and the challenges that lie ahead in safeguarding Marin County’s farm and ranch land.

Recent Projects