Farmland Program at POST

Our Commitment to Agricultural Conservation

Read more about our recent accomplishments on the San Mateo Coast in this year’s “Coastal Community Update.”

Sustainable and environmentally responsible farming practices are good for the land and contribute to the vitality of local communities. Local farms create jobs and make healthy food options available while supporting the local economy.

Unfortunately, local farming faces an uncertain future with 46% of San Mateo County’s farms disappearing since 1990. Many farmlands have been bought by wealthy owners and converted to other uses. This has inflated the price of farmland, making it harder for farmers to get started in the Bay Area.

We work with farm owners and operators to secure farmland and natural resources, protecting our agricultural heritage and sustaining future generations.

Announcing Federal Funding Opportunity

POST is working to protect agricultural land on the San Mateo County coast, and we recently secured up to $2.5 million in federal funding to purchase Agricultural Land Easements (ALEs) by partnering with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the San Mateo Resource Conservation District.

This funding, available through the NRCS Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), will help protect our local food supply, natural resources and the iconic landscapes of the coast. But it’s only available for a limited time. If you are interested in selling or donating an easement to POST, please contact Ben Wright at (650) 352-6307. To be eligible for funding, contact Ben no later than April 10, 2020.

Complete applications for ALEs are due by April 30, 2020. Interested landowners and conservation partners can learn more about the NRCS-ALE program and the application process/requirements here.

The official 2020 NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program Announcement can be found here.

Learn more about conservation easements and how POST can help preserve your farmland by downloading this guide.

Farmland Futures Initiative

At POST, we are working to reverse the trend of disappearing farmland through a combination of land acquisition, legal land protection and strategic investments in infrastructure.

Learn more about the work we’re doing to preserve farmland on the San Mateo coast and discover how you can help.

Areas of Impact

POST is working to secure a foundation—through both land acquisition and essential infrastructure improvements—for the future of farming as part of our vision for a network of protected lands.