Farmland Program

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. Coastal farms and ranches are actively sought after by wealthy buyers for private estates. This has inflated land prices, making it harder for farmers to get started in the Bay Area.

This is why agricultural lands have been a priority for POST, representing a third of the land we’ve protected. We work with farm owners and operators to secure farmland and natural resources, protecting our agricultural heritage and sustaining future generations.

Spanning more than 6,700 acres, POST-protected Cloverdale Ranch in Pescadero is one of the largest contiguous open spaces in the region. Its natural benefits include habitat for wildlife, three healthy watersheds and prime soil for our local food supply — making this stretch of land well suited for numerous productive farms and ranches. Over the last 25+ years, POST has been caring for this incredible landscape, working with partners to improve the landscape’s health and sustain its farming operations. Read more.

Land Protection

Protected 11 farms and ranches totaling 1,975 acres.

Housing

Completed three farmworker housing projects providing a total of 22 bedrooms for workers and their families with more in the works.

Irrigation and Drinking Water

Completed 10 wells, four springs and partnered with RCD on three farm ponds with two more ponds underway to give farmers water security and reduce creek withdrawals.

Agricultural Buildings

Repaired and constructed 17 barns/sheds for farm and livestock operations.

Agricultural Leases

Managed 18 farm and grazing leases to local operators on over 4,050 acres and replaced 12.5 miles of ranch perimeter fencing.

Repair and Restoration

Partnered with RCD on the Butano Creek reconnection and floodplain restoration projects and are planning for three more; replaced a bridge over Butano Creek and repaired another.

Land Protection

$42,945,000 Invested: Since launching FFI, POST has invested nearly $43M to purchase land and conservation easements along the coast, preserving farms and rangeland.

Stewardship Projects

$4,947,000 Invested: Through FFI and public agency partnerships, POST has invested in farm and ranch infrastructure on the San Mateo Coast.