One of West Marin’s leading organic dairymen, Albert Straus, has formed a citizen group to rally support for the historic dairies and ranches in the Point Reyes National Seashore. The new organization, Save Marin’s Food Community, has collected nearly 2,000 signatures on a petition demanding long-term leases for agricultural operations in the park, which have been offered only short-term leases for more than a decade. The group plans to send the petition to park superintendent Craig Kenkel before the end of the month—ahead of any settlement agreement reached by the seashore and the environmental groups that have sued it over ranching. “The impending loss of the Seashore’s farms and ranches would cause unprecedented damage to Marin County’s agricultural economy and regional food supply,” the petition states. “Our coalition is urging the National Park Service to provide fair, reasonable, and sustainable leases that are longer, renewable, and completed in a timely manner.” The group is calling for leases of up to 20 years, which the seashore outlined when it updated its general management plan in 2021. But three environmental groups—the Resource Renewal Institute, the Western Watersheds Project and the Center for Biological Diversity—filed suit against the updated plan, demanding an end to ranching in the park. Lawyers for the park, the plaintiffs and the ranchers have been holding mediation talks in an effort to settle the case. They are scheduled to report on their progress to a United States District Court judge tomorrow. Five of the county’s 16 organic dairies are located in the park, and two of them provide milk to Straus Family Creamery, a pioneer of sustainable farming in Marin. They account for 15 percent of the company’s milk. Without long-term leases, Mr. Straus told the Light, it is impossible for ranchers to get bank loans to finance infrastructure improvements and modernize their operations. “It ties your hands as a farmer and makes it impossible to operate a business,” he said. His organization’s petition argues that losing the seashore’s farms would have significant impacts outside the park. “A local, sustainable organic farming and food system in Marin County sustains the community, schools, local workforce, agriculture, and businesses,” it states.