Conserving Solano's Farmland
Solano County: Proud of our farming roots
Protecting our landscape, our agricultural history and quality of life for future generations takes a village. That’s why Solano Land Trust partners with farmers, ranchers and landowners, along with you as supporters to conserve private working farms as well as open space for public access. These investments inspire a love of land, promoting a future that is rooted in our shared region’s values; A strong agricultural economy and access to local food, beautiful vistas and spaces between our cities and landscapes that support abundant wildlife habitats. A place that is as special as those of us who call it home.
Read Some Local Farm Stories
At a time when farm families around the country are wondering who in the next generation will carry on the farm, Sierra Orchards in Winters now knows the answer.
Kirby and Kaitlin Swickard of Five Dot Ranch don’t mind if you call them cowboys, even though they are cowgirls.
When Mario and Lena Carlevaro Lanza moved to Suisun Valley to partner with the Brea brothers at Wooden Valley Winery in 1944, there was not a single grapevine in the valley. "Grapevines are resilient and can grow in poor soil," says Ron Lanza, Mario's grandson and one of the four brothers who run Wooden Valley Winery today.
Solano County Agriculture
Solano County faces the same kind of development pressures we’ve heard and seen in the Santa Clara, Sacramento and Los Angeles areas. These pressures put our agricultural land at risk of conversion to non-agricultural uses, like urban development and commercial activity. Residents from Vallejo to Rio Vista to Dixon, and everywhere in between, value the sweeping vistas as they drive from city to city, access locally grown food and value-added products like wine and olive oil and the economic benefits local agriculture provides. Driving from city to city in Solano County, we can take in the calm of open spaces, see food being grown and the beautiful seasonal changes. Thanks to your support, Solano Land Trust plays a key role in protecting our rich farmlands, which have some of the best soil and growing conditions in the world.
Since 1986, SLT has permanently protected close to 14,000 acres of active farmland and ranchland in partnership with dozens of local families. These lands help to ensure agriculture can remain viable in Solano County, even as our region experiences necessary growth and change.
Climate Benefits for People and Wildlife
Working lands provide access to fresh, local foods for all of us. When working with local farmers and ranchers, Solano Land Trust can see first-hand farm practices that support soil regeneration, clean water and air. We always say farmers are the first Steward of the land. From fire-smart land management to improving soil health to recharging precious groundwater, this work benefits us all. These nature-based solutions make our region less vulnerable to weather extremes while creating high-quality habitat for wildlife.
Our Local Ag Economy
The rolling hills dotted with cattle and sheep and fields of grapes, sunflowers, corn, nut trees, grain crops and tomatoes are part of what makes our region a great place to live. These productive lands play an essential role in our local economy, both directly and through a multiplier effect by supporting other related local businesses. According to the Solano County Department of Agriculture, local agricultural production generates almost $1.3 billion annually and provides more than 4,000 direct jobs as well as almost 6,000 additional jobs in related industries.
For agriculture to remain economically viable, however, we must work together to protect a critical mass of our working lands from conversion to other uses. Related industries like tomato canning, processing and packing, distribution, and transportation, all rely on the availability of local farm production, which requires open space and healthy soils.
Funds for the development of the Farmland Protection pages of the Solano Land Trust website were made available through the California Strategic Growth Council’s Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program (SALC) in collaboration with the Department of Conservation. SALC is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment – particularly in disadvantaged communities. All this is possible on behalf of California Climate Investments. Connect with California Climate Investments on Social Media.
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