Business

Marin Agricultural Productivity Dips 3%: Final year of four-year drought reflected in new report to Supervisors

Historic drought conditions that challenged Marin County’s agricultural producers for almost four years are prominently reflected in the new 2022 Marin County Crop & Livestock Report. The report, publicly released June 20 before the Board of Supervisors, covers a block of time before the 2022-23 winter arrived to soothe and restore parched lands. Agricultural production in Marin dipped 3% in 2022, following a 5% slide a year earlier, all closely tied to a drought that forced farmers to fallow more of their land.

Published

3 years ago

June 24, 2023

Oakland Post

One of the bright spots in the 2022 Marin County Crop & Livestock Report was the 8% increase over the previous year in the value of livestock, which includes poultry.

San Rafael, CA – Historic drought conditions that challenged Marin County’s agricultural producers for almost four years are prominently reflected in the new 2022 Marin County Crop & Livestock Report.

The report, publicly released June 20 before the Board of Supervisors, covers a block of time before the 2022-23 winter arrived to soothe and restore parched lands. Agricultural production in Marin dipped 3% in 2022, following a 5% slide a year earlier, all closely tied to a drought that forced farmers to fallow more of their land.

Agricultural Commissioner Stefan Parnay and Inspector Allison Klein presented the new report, which showed an estimated gross total production value of local products of $94,147,000. The value in 2021 was $96,656,000. The local record is $111,061,000 in 2015.

The brightest news in the report was the 28% increase in the value of fruits and vegetables. Late spring rains helped many growers reestablish land that had been fallowed the year prior. There was a 30% boost in acres of fruits and vegetables planted compared to 2021.

For the fifth consecutive year, Marin’s top three commodities were organic milk, poultry, and cattle with a combined value of $70 million, or roughly 75% of the total gross value of all agricultural production. The value of livestock (cattle, sheep, and poultry) was up (8%, 1%, and 3%, respectively). Many ranchers were able to maintain herd sizes from 2021, but cautiously await increasing herd sizes while the long-term impacts of the drought are determined. The value of locally produced organic milk ($32 million) far outpaces the value of conventional milk ($2 million).

The good-news points in this year’s report helped offset downturns in aquaculture (27%) and field crops (11%). The amount of harvested silage and hay from fields was down (20% and 19%, respectively) due to continued lack of water.

“Despite extraordinary challenges, agricultural producers have shown remarkable resiliency and steadfastness in adapting to the unpredictability of the times,” Parnay said. “Their resourcefulness, hopefulness, patience, and fortitude are commendable as they continue to work toward a brighter future.”

During the drought, ponds and wells on local ranches ran dry and many farmers and ranchers resorted to an expensive step: hauling in water to support their ag operations. Fallowing fields and selling off animals were among other drastic measures that ranchers had been forced to consider. For part of 2022, the lingering COVID-19 pandemic required agricultural producers to deal with labor shortages, high fuel and feed costs, and the need to find new markets for products.

This year’s report features Marin’s rich organic farming heritage. “With over 75 organic operations, we wanted to share the stories of some of our innovative organic farmers and ranchers,” Klein told the Board members. In 2022, Marin farms produced over $39 million worth of organic agricultural products and farmed over 51,000 acres organically.

The annual report includes updates on pest prevention programs, sudden oak death, invasive weed management, and the organic certification program.

All Marin County livestock and crop reports are online, including the new one. Reports are sent to the California Department of Food and Agriculture to be included in statewide reports.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Up Next

Losing Income Chief Cause of Homelessness, UCSF Study Finds

Don't Miss

Richmond Hopes to Acquire Motel 6 to House Homeless

Oakland Post

Click to comment

Activism

Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

1 week ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

Oakland Post

Posts by Oakland Post

Activism

Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.