🚨 Gavin Newsom & his allies just forced 12 historic family farms &...
James Li@5149jamesli
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Mar 04, 2025
~3 min read
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🚨 Gavin Newsom & his allies just forced 12 historic family farms & dairies out of Point Reyes National Seashore in California.
They claim it’s about saving the environment — but the truth couldn't be more different.
Here is the true story — and it's heartbreaking. ⬇️🧵1/
They claim it’s about saving the environment — but the truth couldn't be more different.
Here is the true story — and it's heartbreaking. ⬇️🧵1/
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2/ For over 100 years, ranchers and dairy farmers have worked the land at Point Reyes. They built Marin’s organic food movement & supplied fresh milk to Californians.
Now they’re being forced out — by environmental groups, the federal government, and Newsom’s political allies.
Now they’re being forced out — by environmental groups, the federal government, and Newsom’s political allies.
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3/ When Congress created Point Reyes National Seashore in 1962, ranchers voluntarily sold their land to the federal government under one condition: they could keep ranching.
That promise lasted 60 years — until powerful environmental groups decided to change the rules.
That promise lasted 60 years — until powerful environmental groups decided to change the rules.
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4/ In 2022, three environmental groups — Resource Renewal Institute, Center for Biological Diversity, and Western Watersheds Project sued the National Park Service to block 20-year ranching leases.
The lawsuit set off a chain reaction that led to ranchers losing everything.
The lawsuit set off a chain reaction that led to ranchers losing everything.
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5/ At first, the National Park Service defended the ranchers. But then The Nature Conservancy — a billion-dollar “nonprofit” with deep political ties to Newsom —stepped in to negotiate a secret deal.
The result? A $30M payout to ranchers who had no real choice but to leave.
The result? A $30M payout to ranchers who had no real choice but to leave.
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6/ The $30M payout might sound like a lot — until you realize it’s being split across multiple families and businesses.
"You don't want to see the book closed," said rancher Jarrod Mendoza, whose great-grandfather acquired the family’s land in 1919.
"You don't want to see the book closed," said rancher Jarrod Mendoza, whose great-grandfather acquired the family’s land in 1919.
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7/ Mendoza needs financing to rebuild his family’s barn, which was destroyed in a storm. But thanks to the park’s refusal to grant long-term leases, he couldn’t get a loan.
Now, he’s being forced off his land altogether — along with 11 other ranching families.
Now, he’s being forced off his land altogether — along with 11 other ranching families.
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8/ Worse? The farmers were placed under a strict gag order — they legally cannot tell the public how this deal really went down.
Begs the question: if this was such a fair outcome, why was it done behind closed doors? Why are the ranchers being silenced? 🤔
Begs the question: if this was such a fair outcome, why was it done behind closed doors? Why are the ranchers being silenced? 🤔
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9/ And here’s where Biden & Trump come in:
- In 2019, Trump signed an executive order to protect farming in national parks.
- In 2021, Biden reversed it.
The final deal was reached in early January 2025, just weeks before Donald Trump took office on January 20, 2025.
- In 2019, Trump signed an executive order to protect farming in national parks.
- In 2021, Biden reversed it.
The final deal was reached in early January 2025, just weeks before Donald Trump took office on January 20, 2025.
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10/ Who brokered the deal?
Rep. Jared Huffman, who represents Point Reyes.
Before Congress, he was an attorney for the NRDC, a powerful environmental lobbying group.
So was he negotiating for his constituents — or for the same activists who wanted the ranchers gone?
Rep. Jared Huffman, who represents Point Reyes.
Before Congress, he was an attorney for the NRDC, a powerful environmental lobbying group.
So was he negotiating for his constituents — or for the same activists who wanted the ranchers gone?
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11/ But this isn’t about protecting nature — it’s about business, politics, and ideology.
The Park Service now admits it will have to hire private grazing contractors to manage the land and reduce wildfire risk.
So cattle can stay — just not the families who raised them.
The Park Service now admits it will have to hire private grazing contractors to manage the land and reduce wildfire risk.
So cattle can stay — just not the families who raised them.
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12/ Environmental groups sold this as a win for conservation.
But the reality? It was a quiet land transfer — one that just happened to benefit some of the most politically connected non-profits in the country.
And once these farms are gone, they’re gone forever.
But the reality? It was a quiet land transfer — one that just happened to benefit some of the most politically connected non-profits in the country.
And once these farms are gone, they’re gone forever.
