Background Ranchers in West Marin and along coastal Sonoma County face challenges as they work to produce animal and plant products, earn a living, and maintain farmlands for present and future generations. These challenges result from the changing nature of commercial agriculture, economic downtrends in the dairy and beef industries, the high cost of land, limitations of natural resources, urbanization of the area, and a continuing need for farmers to identify new sources of income.
Ranchers also face strong economic pressures to consider selling land for development.
Even in cases where development rights have been sold, landowners may have difficulty keeping their lands in active agriculture. Included in this was interest in agritourism and a regional marketing approach similar to Select Sonoma County or other regional programs active in Northern California. An indicator of recent success in this area includes the opening of the Tomales Bay Food Company in Point Reyes Station, a retail store selling mostly regional food products. In the past ten years, a growing shellfish industry has developed in the waters of Tomales Bay, and nearby estuaries, some within and adjacent to the Point Reyes National Seashore. This park is the only national park in the nation that allows dairying within its boundaries.