Kelly Pearson, the nominee to lead the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, won unanimous committee support May 20 and will go to the full Utah Senate for final consideration at 4 p.m. Wednesday.

Pearson told the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Confirmation Committee he is “both humbled and energized by the opportunity to serve as your commissioner of agriculture, if confirmed this week.” He outlined priorities that include water optimization, land‑preservation programs, streamlining department rules and expanding food‑security and processing grants.

Pearson, a Monticello native who has served six years as deputy commissioner and twice as interim commissioner, told senators the department helped secure $270,000,000 in water‑use funding that was matched by farmers and that the agency recently obtained $1,000,000 in ongoing funding for the Lee Ray McAllister working farm and ranch fund. He said the department is pursuing food security grants, farm‑to‑school programs and investments to support local processors.

Committee members pressed Pearson on implementation details. Senator Hankins urged the nominee to prioritize fixing long‑standing reporting and information‑technology problems so the department can deliver required reports to appropriations. Senator Reby asked how UDAF plans to include Salt Lake County and urban producers; Pearson said the department is promoting agritourism, working with Utah State Extension and Farm Bureau programs, and that the food security grant program has helped small urban processors with microgrants and equipment.

Pearson described internal staff changes intended to separate promotional and regulatory duties: Troy Forrest will lead promotional outreach and Amber Brown will focus on policy and regulatory oversight. He also discussed the Central Utah AgriPark project, saying the state provided about $5,000,000 toward land and infrastructure and that one new meat processor in Nephi built roughly $2,000,000 in wastewater treatment capacity to meet processing needs.

Public comment at the hearing was strongly supportive. Former Commissioner Craig Butters said, “He is a man with vision and he is the right man at this time to lead the department.” Speakers from the Utah Farm Bureau, Utah Wool Growers Association, Utah State University and several county officials also urged confirmation, citing Pearson’s county and state experience and work on food‑security initiatives.

Senator Reby moved that the committee forward Pearson’s nomination to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation; the committee approved the motion unanimously. The committee chair noted the full Senate will take up the nomination at 4 p.m. the following day in the Senate chamber.

The hearing was brisk and included a number of public endorsements; the committee observed a scheduled room time limit at 2 p.m. and closed public comment early to allow travel‑time speakers to testify in person.