WORKING FARMS AND RANCHES

HEALTHY LOCAL FOOD

Farming and ranching are integral to California’s identity and economy—people across the country are nourished by the
Golden State every day. And the Bay Area is a significant agricultural region, producing 1.3 million tons of food annually (more than enough to feed San Francisco).
Bay Area farms and ranches benefit the state and region in several ways:

Revenue
Bay Area agriculture earned $1.4 billion in 2006, according to county agricultural commissions. That’s just the net value of the product when it leaves the farm
or ranch—food processing and food-related tourism and jobs multiply that impact.

Market Innovation
The Bay Area’s leadership in delivering local food directly to residents through farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture, and restaurants enhances California’s reputation for innovation.

Self-Sufficiency
Bay Area farms produce enough food to meet one-fifth of the region’s demand.

Regional
self-sufficiency is particularly important with a changing economy and fluctuating fuel prices.

Sonoma County Dairies Face Challenges

Sonoma County’s 100,000-acre coastal dairybelt produces high-quality food for
hundreds of thousands of nearby residents—along with Marin dairies, enough to provide 41% of milk and cheese consumed in the greater Bay Area. Challenging economics, however, have led to the loss of 26 Sonoma County dairies in the past decade. To help remaining farmers stay in business, conservation organizations have purchased agricultural easements on more than 21,400 acres. Additional incentives and technical assistance are needed to preserve this important local food source and way of life.