A brief history  

The FMMP was established in 1982 in response to a critical need for assessing the location, quality, and quantity of agricultural lands and conversion of these lands over time. FMMP is a nonregulatory program and provides a consistent and impartial analysis of agricultural land use and land use changes throughout California. Creation of the FMMP was supported by the Legislature and a broad coalition of building, business, government, and conservation interests. 

Signing of legislation creating the Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program in 1982.  Left to right are Assemblyman Charles Imbrecht, Governor Jerry Brown Jr., and Assemblyman Richard Lehman.

The first Important Farmland Maps produced in 1984 covered 30.3 million acres (38 counties). The first Farmland Conversion Report was released in 1988 and detailed farmland changes from 1984 to 1986. Nine subsequent reports have included additions to the project area as modern soil surveys became available.

FMMP now maps agricultural and urban land use on nearly 96% of the state's privately held land.  The coverage area is 47.9 million acres in 49 counties. It is the only statewide land use inventory conducted on a two-year basis that identifies agricultural and urban land conversions. 

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