Utah Department of Agriculture lays out plan to protect farmland, expand processing and shore up workforce

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food outlined a multi‑pronged strategy to sustain farming in Utah County and statewide during a work‑session presentation to the Utah County Commission on April 19, 2023.

Commissioner Craig Butters, who leads the department, said the agency’s strategic plan focuses on boosting processing capacity, recruiting a new generation of producers and preserving prime agricultural land. “We began in 1896 as the board of horticulture,” Butters said as he summarized the department’s responsibilities, adding that the agency oversees inspection, pest and disease control, marketing and a new grazing improvement program.

Deputy Commissioner Kelly Pearson described the process behind the plan and the goals it produced. Pearson said the department conducted regional outreach and a SWOT analysis across the state to identify priorities, which she grouped under ‘‘agri‑structure,’’ workforce, land preservation, food‑supply resilience and ag education. On processing capacity, Pearson said local processors face long waits: “If you wanted to get your cow butchered or harvested right now, you’re a year, year and a half out.”

The department outlined several programs meant to address those constraints:

- Meat‑processing support: A pilot ‘‘Utah Food Security Processing’’ grant program awarded roughly $1 million in its first round; Pearson said the department received 79 applications requesting about $14 million. A second $1 million round was authorized for the current session with applications opening May 1 and awards expected in July.

- Veterinary workforce refunding: Pearson told commissioners the session included about $2.5 million to seed a veterinary loan‑repayment program to encourage vets to serve in rural areas. ‘‘If someone wants to become a vet and work in a rural area for five years, we’ll repay their loan up to $100,000,’’ she said.

- Water optimization: Butters summarized the agricultural water optimization program’s funding history and impact: a $3 million appropriation in 2019, another $3 million in 2021 and a $70 million appropriation in 2022. Since 2019 the department reports spending more than $50 million across 276 projects with projected water savings of roughly 172,000–173,000 acre‑feet annually; Butters urged producers to apply for the current round of funding.

- Ag Stress Assistance: UDAF partnered with Utah State University’s Ag Wellness Program to offer a $2,000 voucher for farmers and ranchers and their families to access mental‑health care; the program also provides training and 988 crisis‑line responder coordination.

- Land preservation: Presenters described the Leeray McAllister working farm and ranch protection fund now administered by UDAF and recent seed funding (a one‑time $3 million appropriation) to match federal NRCS funds. The department referenced House Bill 371, which they said directs that, where rollback taxes apply, 20% of those funds in a county be made available toward conservation easements; presenters encouraged the county to coordinate on using those funds to match federal grants.

Butters closed by noting existing local conservation projects and asking commissioners to help communicate program opportunities to constituents. “Our website is ag.utah.gov,” he said; staff committed to sending the presentation and program links to the commission for distribution.

The presentation provided details commissioners can share with local producers, and the department fielded follow‑up questions during the meeting. The work session did not include votes; commissioners did not take formal action on the programs during the April 19 meeting.