Agricultural Institute of Marin

https://www.agriculturalinstitute.org

AIM operates nine certified Farmers Markets through the Bay Area. It’s mission is to “educate, inspire, and connect communities, farmers, and producers in order to create a healthy, Earth-friendly, equitable local and regional food and agricultural system.”

AIM is a member of the Sonoma-Marin Agricultural County Climate Coalition (SMACC)). On April 14, 2025, the United States Department of Agriculture canceled funding for the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities. AIM and its partners lost over $10 million in funding, which included direct funding and technical and marketing support to implement regenerative practices.

Carbon Cycle Institute

https://www.carboncycle.org

With roots in the Marin Carbon Project, the Carbon Cycle Institute (CCI) is focused on engaging agriculture as a climate solution by scaling up rates of CO2 sequestration on farm while building climate resilience and ecological health. Agricultural and natural lands are recognized as the most valuable avenue for massively scaling up rates of CO2 sequestration, with multiple ancillary benefits. CCI works with a diverse group of partners at the intersection of climate science and agriculture, including “farmers and ranchers, public agencies, local and state government, university researchers and mission-aligned organizations and businesses.” In partnership with the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts and Resource Conservation Districts across California, CCI is working to establish seven Regional Carbon Farming Hubs to rapidly and effectively scale this critically important work.

Marin Carbon Project

The Marin Carbon Project (MCP) is a consortium of independent agricultural institutions working in Marin County and the surrounding region, including university researchers, county and federal agencies, and conservation and food nonprofits. Our partners engage in collaborative research, demonstration, and implementation of climate smart agriculture practices on rangeland, agricultural, and forest soils.

The MCP is a collaboration hub for climate and agricultural work. We create spaces for sharing ideas, identify and catalyze opportunities for collaboration, and co-create strategies to support the effective coordination of our partner activities to advance nature-based climate solutions in agricultural landscapes.

Mission

In response to the rapid pace of global climate change, the Marin Carbon Project (MCP) seeks to enhance carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions reduction in rangeland, agricultural, and forest ecosystems through collectively advancing climate smart agriculture at scale.

Vision

Our vision is for farmers, ranchers, and land managers to serve as stewards of soil health and to adopt climate smart agricultural practices to improve agricultural productivity and viability, enhance ecosystem function, adapt to and mitigate climate change, and strengthen agricultural and community resilience to climate change for the equitable benefit and enjoyment of all.

Marin County Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources/University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://ucanr.edu/county-office/marin-county

Science-based solutions for Marin's communities, farms, and environment Our mission is to sustain a vital agriculture, environment, and community in Marin County by providing University of California research-based information in agriculture, natural resource management, healthy living, and youth  development. We consult with individuals and organizations, publish newsletters, produce information for mass media, and conduct seminars and workshops. Program areas include Agriculture and Natural Resources, Community Nutrition and Health, Fire Science, Forest Health, Human-Wildlife Interactions, Marin Master Gardeners, Marin County 4-H Program, Specialty Crops, Sustainable Agriculture and Urban Horticulture.

Marin Agricultural Land Trust

https://malt.org

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. From the MALT website on May 18, 2025: To date, MALT has protected 58,917 acres through the acquisition of 98 agricultural conservation easements. MALT-Protected lands include: 269 miles of creeks and streams, 655 acres of wetlands, 14,068 acres of forested habitat, and 33,733 acres of grassland/rangeland. MALT-protected lands support 48 beef cattle operations, 20 dairy operations, 12 sheep operations, 12 wool producers, 5 artisan cheesemakers, 6 egg producers and 9 fruit and vegetable producers.

Marin Resource Conservation District

https://www.marinrcd.org/programs/home2

Excerpts from website:

History of Resource Conservation Districts “In 1938, in response to congressional enabling legislation and several years of Dust Bowl tragedies, California generated legislation authorizing the formation of soil conservation districts.” These districts are now called Resource Conservation Districts.

Mission and Vision of MRCD

The mission of the Marin Resource Conservation District is to conserve and enhance Marin’s natural resources, including its soil, water, vegetation and wildlife. It is our belief that the health of the county’s natural landscape is dependent upon a robust agricultural economy and the active preservation of our  agricultural heritage. In addition, it is our firm conviction that the agricultural productivity of the county is dependent upon the diligent application of practices which conserve and enhance our natural resources.

United States Department of the Interior: National Park Service

Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area

www.nps.gov/pore/getinvolved/planning_gmp_amendment.htm

Historically there have been agricultural operations on 18,000 acres designated the “pastoral zone” within the 71,000 acre Point Reyes National Seashore. There have been another 10,000 acres of parkland managed as agriculture by PRNS in the North Marin portion of the Golden Gate National Recreation. On January 8, 2025, the PRNS announced settlement of a lawsuit challenging the September 2021 General Management Plan Amendment, which authorized leases of up to 20 years for the dairies and ranches managed by PRNS. The “settlement agreement” to resolve the dispute regarding use of PRNS lands for commercial ranching is between the NPS, the three plaintiffs that challenged the 2021 GMPA and Record of Decision, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) and twelve of fourteen ranches operating within the NPS. Under ranch closure agreements, ranchers located on the PRNS are to cease operations within 15 months and surrender their leases in exchange for compensation from TNC.

Following a change in federal administration, the link to the Revised Record of Decision announced on January 8 is no longer on the PRNS website. Rather, this notice appears above the online News Release:

You are viewing ARCHIVED content published online before January 20, 2025. Please note that this content is NOT UPDATED, and links may not work.

Nevertheless, the citations in the archived News Release can be accessed on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine: 

https://web.archive.org/web/20250127222636/https://parkplanning.nps.gov/showFile.cfm?sfid=774286&projectID=74313.

A starting place to review the facts leading the closure of the PRNS ranches and to active efforts to support the continuation of ranching in the PRNS is an April 8, 2025, article by Tess Abraham on The California Conversation. www.thecaliforniaconversation.com/articles/point-reyes-farm-closures.