John P. Brennan
Broker, Certified General Appraiser, co-owner
Farm appraiser turned broker and farmland owner, with thirty years in Sacramento Valley agriculture and a long record in agricultural conservation.
- Role
- Broker and certified general appraiser, co-owner
- Licenses
- Broker 01107673; appraiser AG020250
- Office
- Woodland office, Woodland
- Elsewhere
- Stewardship and projects
Appraisal and brokerage
John graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a degree in agricultural business management. A Yuba City native, he moved to Colusa after college and now lives in the city of Davis. He started as a farm appraiser, inventorying a large share of the Sacramento Valley's farmland, and over the years added farm brokerage, farm management and farmland ownership.
He is co-owner of Brennan, Jewett, Hackett, with offices in Woodland and Colusa, which appraises, manages and sells farm properties in the Sacramento Valley. He holds a Certified General Appraiser license (AG020250) and a real estate broker license (01107673), and has given expert testimony in Superior Court.
Farming
John is a partner in Robbins Rice Company with Lance and Jon Matteoli of Matteoli Brothers, a large, diversified farming operation in Robbins. Robbins Rice Company is a rice marketing company focused on Japanese short grain rice. The partnership also owns Tule Basin Farms and Knaggs Ranch LLC, two integrated rice and conservation projects in the Sacramento Valley.
The company grows premium short grain rice in the Sacramento Valley, and the Black Fox brand's page names Robbins Rice Company as its producer.
Conservation and water
As a real estate consultant John has worked for and with conservation organizations active in the Sacramento Valley, including The Nature Conservancy, California Audubon, California Trout, Point Blue, River Partners, California Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited.
John, through Cal Marsh and Farm Ventures, LLC, has been the main public and private proponent of floodplain science for salmon through the Nigiri Project on Knaggs Ranch in the Yolo Bypass. The Nigiri Project floods harvested rice fields in winter so that juvenile Chinook salmon can feed in shallow, food-rich water. California Trout lists Knaggs Ranch LLC and Cal Marsh and Farm among the project's partners. Robbins Rice Company's 2014 and 2015 news posts show John presenting the idea to a Woodland Rotary club and appearing in an Environmental Defense Fund feature on the project.
He has also worked with Ecosystem Investment Partners on the real estate acquisitions for its Lookout Slough and Tides End floodplain projects.
Boards
John serves on the boards of the Northern California Water Association, the Sacramento River Forum, the Sutter Bypass Butte Slough Irrigation District and the Yolo Basin Foundation.
Read the full biography
As a graduate of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, I earned my degree in agricultural business management. Originally from Yuba City, I moved to Colusa after college and now live in Davis. While I started primarily as a farm appraiser, inventorying a large portion of the farmlands of the Sacramento Valley, over the years I have branched out into farm brokerage, farm management, and farmland ownership.
Working in agriculture for the past thirty years, I have developed a keen interest in the integration of agriculture and conservation. I have broad experience in the consulting and management of diversified farming operations located in the Sacramento Valley. Today, I am co-owner of Brennan, Jewett, Hackett, with offices in Woodland and Colusa. The firm specializes in appraisal, management and sales of farm properties located within the Sacramento Valley. I hold licenses as a Certified General Appraiser (CA OREA No. AG020250) and Real Estate Broker (CA DRE No. 01107673), and have provided expert testimony in Superior Court. As a real estate consultant, I have worked for and with numerous NGOs active in conservation in the Sacramento Valley, including The Nature Conservancy, California Audubon, California Trout, Point Blue, Environmental Defense Council, American River, River Partners, California Waterfowl and Ducks Unlimited.
In addition to my real estate work, I am a partner in Robbins Rice Company (RRC) with Lance and Jon Matteoli of Matteoli Brothers, a large, diversified farming operation located in Robbins, CA. RRC is a rice marketing company focused on the production and sale of Japanese short grain rice. The partnership also owns Tule Basin Farms and Knaggs Ranch LLC; two integrated rice and conservation projects in the Sacramento Valley.
Another venture I am partner in is Cal Marsh and Farm Ventures, LLC. This partnership serves as the main public/private proponent of a floodplain science for salmon with the Nigiri Project, located on the Knaggs Ranch in the Yolo Bypass. Over the past two years, I have been working closely with Ecosystem Investment Partners (EIP) on the acquisition of the real estate for their Lookout Slough and Tides End projects. Cal Marsh and EIP are currently working together to bring Goose Club, Nigiri and Tide End, all landscape scale floodplain projects, to fruition.
I am also an active Board Member of Northern California Water Association, Sacramento River Forum, the Sutter Bypass Butte Slough Irrigation District, and the Yolo Basin Foundation.
Licenses
Real Estate Broker, California DRE No. 01107673. Certified General Appraiser, California AG020250. Firm DRE No. 01944663. In association with Peter F. Brennan, Inc.