Press Release

MALT Announces Five Agricultural Stewardship Grants to Build Resilience on Working Lands

May 14, 2025

POINT REYES, CA – May 14, 2025 – The Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) announced today five new grants through its small grants program (SGP) focused on building resilience on working lands. The grants, totaling approximately $200,000, will fund infrastructure improvements that enhance both agricultural viability and ecological health across a variety of operations throughout Marin County, including two on public lands.

“These grants demonstrate the importance of building resilience in agricultural systems throughout Marin County, including on both private and public lands,” said Lily Verdone, Executive Director of MALT. “Agricultural food systems deliver important benefits to people, nature, and the economy, and by supporting these diverse agricultural operations, MALT can double down on our mission of protecting Marin’s agricultural landscape.”

The five grants will support a range of stewardship-oriented agriculture practices:

Shepherds of the Coast – $15,000 – a Native-owned business led by Jenna Coughlin, a member of the Coast Miwok tribe, will invest in mobile fencing systems to enhance rotational grazing efficiency. Her contract grazing operation helps increase pasture quality and mitigate wildfire risk on private lands throughout Marin County. This project represents the next generation of agriculturalists in Marin County finding new avenues for economic success through the emerging role of ecological grazing.

Barboni Home Ranch – $50,000 – operated by Bill Barboni, will receive funding for rangeland seeding and soil amendments to address natural soil acidity and enhance carbon sequestration, water retention, and forage production. This project contributes to the ranch’s carbon farm plan, providing a great example of how local rangelands can be utilized for carbon storage—a place to drawdown and store atmospheric carbon while enhancing pasture quality and protecting local biodiversity.

Moreda Dairy – $45,000 – operated by Jim Moreda, will implement a fertigation reel (a system that delivers water and nutrients simultaneously through irrigation) and rangeland seeding to increase year-round forage production, improve nutrient cycling, increase soil carbon storage, and provide timely application of nutrients. Moreda represents the next generation of dairy farmers finding their path and a future in agriculture in Marin County. Through enhanced rotational grazing and pasture management, he is increasing the health of his land and pushing the envelope of what it means to be a sustainable dairy—a great example of a successful dairy operation amid a challenging time for local dairies.

Millerton Creek Ranch – $50,000 – operated by Mike Giammona, for a grazing allotment on Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA), will install infrastructure to bring conservation-focused grazing back to the allotment [located along Tomales Bay and containing the Tomales Bay Trail], and fencing to protect habitat for the threatened western pond turtle.

McIsaac Ranch – $40,000 – operated by siblings Levi and Courtney McIsaac, will rehabilitate water systems to introduce conservation grazing on approximately 750 acres on two grazing allotments in the GGNRA. The project will relocate water infrastructure to reduce erosion in McIsaac Creek, which provides habitat for endangered steelhead trout.

“My hope is to demonstrate the validity of this work—to help the community realize that ecology and agriculture go together in a profound way,” said Jenna Coughlin, owner of Shepherds of the Coast. “This small grant from MALT is critical for our operation. As contract grazers, there’s a communal aspect to this work—supporting private landowners and protecting our community from wildfire—we’re all bringing something for the benefit of the greater good.” 

Ecological and Climate Resilience Benefits

Conservation grazing plays a vital role in maintaining Marin County’s ecosystems and building resilience against the impacts of climate change. Well-managed grazing helps control invasive species, reduces fuel loads that contribute to wildfire risk, and maintains the open grassland habitats that support numerous native plant and animal species, including endangered and threatened species, from woody shrub encroachment.

These projects provide an opportunity to demonstrate how animal agriculture serves as an essential management tool for Marin County’s unique landscapes. The grants will enable ranchers to implement infrastructure that supports precise grazing management, showcasing how working lands can simultaneously achieve agricultural production, climate resilience, and ecological conservation goals.

Anne Altman, Superintendent of the Point Reyes National Seashore, expressed support for the projects on federal lands: “We value the role that carefully managed grazing can play in maintaining these historic working landscapes. These infrastructure improvements will help our lessees implement the conservation standards that are central to our mission of protecting these special places for future generations.” 

“Our grant review committee evaluated all applications based on their conservation merits,” said Sonya Hammons, Director of Conservation Programs at MALT. “This committee is comprised of professionals in the agricultural and natural resource management fields who work for other organizations, bringing independent expertise to the evaluation process. We’re excited to support this group of agricultural producers implementing diverse practices that enhance both their operations and Marin’s natural resources.” 

These grants build on MALT’s history of supporting agricultural stewardship practices that benefit the land, the people, and the economy of Marin County. The organization remains committed to supporting the county’s agricultural community while advancing conservation practices that protect Marin’s natural resources.

For more information about MALT’s small grants program and other initiatives, visit www.malt.org/small-grants

About MALT
Founded in 1980, the Marin Agricultural Land Trust is a nonprofit organization created to permanently preserve Marin County agricultural land. Some of the Bay Area’s most highly acclaimed dairy and meat products and organic crops are produced on farmland protected by MALT conservation easements, which total more than 58,500 acres on 98 family farms and ranches.