North America’s most underrated road trip

New Zealand Herald

February 11, 2020

While much of the Bay Area has been developed for business and residence, Marin County has remained relatively undeveloped because of the land protections of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT), founded by rancher Ellen Straus and biologist Phyllis Faber in 1980.

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County parks will ask voters to extend Measure A sales tax

Point Reyes Light

January 29, 2020

At a Marin Conservation League subcommittee meeting last week, Executive Director Jamison Watts said a campaign would cost about $225,000, and the land trust is prepared to pay half of that. “It is not cheap, but we feel very strongly about it. We’re all in on this,” he said.

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Marin County Scales Back Novato Greenbelt Deal

Marin Independent Journal

January 19, 2020

Jamison Watts, executive director of MALT, said, “That is a beautiful property. It has high natural resource value as well as agricultural values. It has active lessees on the property right now. I congratulate the county on the acquisition.”

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Marin trust gets $1.1M to preserve ranch near Novato

Marin Independent Journal

January 5, 2020

The Marin Agricultural Land Trust has been awarded a nearly $1.1 million grant from the California Strategic Growth Council to help secure a new agricultural easement outside Novato. The funds are intended for a 299-acre ranch about 3 miles southwest of Petaluma, according a project summary published by the council. The acquisition would add to…

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Marin Sun Farms ends slaughter for outside farms

Point Reyes Light

December 18, 2019

“I think we, and the producers in the region, were hoping for a different outcome,” said Jamison Watts, the executive director of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust. “If we want to support a thriving agriculture community that is environmentally sustainable and economically viable, then clean, local slaughter facilities are essential.”

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Marin enters escrow on Coast Guard property

Point Reyes Light

September 19, 2019

Jamison Watts, the executive director of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust, said that securing the Coast Guard property for housing supports MALT’s mission of protecting agriculture. “Central to this thriving agricultural community is affordable housing for ag workers, farmers and ranchers, and there’s a shortage, as we all know, in West Marin,” he said. “This…

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Toolin’ Around Town: Loren Poncia, generations of local farming

Argus Courier

September 12, 2019

After partnering with his parents, Al Poncia became instrumental in founding Marin Agricultural Land Trust, established by ranchers and environmentalists to protect the future of farming in Marin County. A West Marin pioneer in conservation and environmental stewardship, he was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award for 50-plus years in agriculture by the Marin County Farm…

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