Regional Partnerships

Creating a healthier food system is a complex challenge. It involves thousands of interconnected people and institutions. Pie Ranch recognizes that we must meet these challenges with multifaceted solutions, innovations, and partnerships.

We know we need more farmers who will grow sustainable food for local markets. We know we need farmers to have affordable access to land and capital for this production. We know we need informed and active citizens to leverage their purchasing power to enable the best stewardship of the land and care for the people who will continue to feed us all into the future.

Pie Ranch works in collaboration with hundreds of community leaders, organizations, businesses, agencies and citizens to connect the dots in new ways. Pie Ranch was one of the founding members of the San Mateo Food Systems Alliance (SMFSA) in 2006, which was the first such multi-stakeholder, cross-sector alliance in California. Our work together is beginning to change the landscape of our county. Together we can think and plan more strategically on how to fill the gaps in our food system with innovative projects and policies that will move us all toward greater health and justice.

In addition to Pie Ranch's work with SMFSA, Pie Ranch staff participate in various collective impact efforts in our region, such as the Community Advisory Council of the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District, and ChangeScale. In addition, we eagerly collaborate with other organizations, including the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, Puente de la Costa Sur, the Agricultural Justice Project, and many others, on projects and research initiatives to help advance our vision of resilient communities, abundant landscapes, and a robust local food system. 

Our collaborations build upon the strengths of each partner to advance our common goals. Together we are making San Mateo County a place where more organic local food is available to consumers, where farmland is preserved and continues to be used for food production, and where more farmers can afford to operate small, sustainable farms. We believe a relationship-based sustainable food system will support robust local economies, greater health, and food justice for all, while preserving natural features of the beautiful place we call home.