Conserving the legacy of our ranch

As we concluded our 15-year Wagyu journey last year, we completed another milestone project - a conservation easement of our cattle ranch in Valley Springs. 

According to the American Farmland Trust, between 2001 and 2016, 11 million acres of farmland and ranch land were converted to urban use in the U.S. That is equivalent to all the U.S. farmland devoted to fruit, nut and vegetable production in 2017, or 2,000 acres a day paved over, built up or otherwise converted to non-agricultural uses.  Once the land is converted, it never goes back.

In 2007, we had an opportunity to purchase what has now become our Wagyu cattle ranch by reinvesting the proceeds from a conservation easement sale of our other ranch in Acampo, California.  From the very beginning of our ownership, we were determined to protect this beautiful property and ensure it remains in use as a working ranch for generations to come.  

This ranch is not only for us to produce food and make a living, but it’s also a precious resource to protect air and water quality, wildlife habitat, open space and more.  And, if properly managed, our cattle play an integral role in ensuring a vibrant, healthy ecosystem. 

After researching and attending several meetings, we decided to reach out to California Rangeland Trust (CRT) to understand the feasibility of establishing a conservation easement of our cattle ranch, which would protect the land from development in perpetuity. However, the process was certainly not easy and took nearly 15 years to complete! In August 2023, we finalized negotiations with CRT and  now, whoever owns this beautiful piece of the Earth, will be obligated to maintain it as a working cattle ranch forever. 

More than a century ago, Yokichi Nakagawa immigrated to the United States from Hiroshima, Japan in pursuit of the American Dream. Though Yokichi is long gone, and our Acampo ranch was sold last year, his unyielding spirit and legacy will continue to live on through the land and our hearts forever.

Our story was recently featured on multiple local newspapers following the media release by the California Rangeland Trust in December 2023 (web | PDF).