[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 181 (Thursday, November 2, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1049]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING ALFRED PONCIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JARED HUFFMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, November 2, 2023

  Mr. HUFFMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Alfred Poncia, 
who passed away at the age of 83 on August 28, 2023. Al was a farmer, 
conservationist, and respected community leader.
  Born on February 2, 1940, Al grew up on his family ranch in Marin 
County. He graduated from Tomales High School in 1958 and joined the 
Army National Guard. He later moved back home to work at his family's 
dairy and study at Santa Rosa Junior College. While attending college, 
he met Cathie Brandeburg; they married in 1964 and settled down on the 
Poncia family farm in West Marin.
  While working on his farm, Al also took on leadership roles in both 
the county and state farm bureaus. He served 18 years on the Marin 
County Farm Bureau's board of directors, including three years as board 
president. For decades, Al has been both a formal and informal leader 
in the local agriculturist community, notably leading efforts to 
protect open space and family farms in Marin County during successive 
attempts to develop rural West Marin.
  A passionate advocate and an adept communicator, Al worked with a 
variety of agricultural groups and committees dedicated to 
conservation, sustainable farming and ranching. He helped lead the 
Marin County Committee on Small Family Farms, a collection of both 
conservationists and agriculturists interested in developing solutions 
to water problems and fair milk prices. In 1971, Al participated in the 
California Agricultural Leadership Program, an advanced leadership 
development program for California agriculturists, where he had the 
opportunity to travel around the United States and the world, meeting 
with global leaders in farming to learn more about national and 
international agricultural policy.
  In 1981, Al became a founding board member of the Marin Agricultural 
Land Trust (MALT), the first farmland trust in the nation, representing 
a broad coalition of ranchers, environmentalists, and community leaders 
who were dedicated to protecting farming in Marin County. His 
expertise, insight, and passion were critical to MALT's success at 
preserving local Marin County farms.
  Al is survived by his wife of 59 years, Cathie; three of their 
children, Jennifer, Melissa, and Loren; and eight grandchildren. Al was 
predeceased by his daughter, Jessica, and son-in-law, Bill. While he 
will be greatly missed, Al's legacy will live on through the positive 
impact he had on his community and beyond.
  Today, thanks to Al's lifelong dedication and hard work, Marin County 
stands as a national example for sustainable agriculture and open space 
preservation. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that you join me in 
extending condolences to Al's family and friends, and in expressing my 
appreciation for his decades of work for the public good.

                          ____________________