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Committee backs making Utah pollinator pilot program permanent, raises grant cost-share
Summary
Lawmakers advanced HB 251 to remove the sunset on Utah's pollinator pilot program, increase grant cost-share rates and authorize the Department of Agriculture to scale outreach and seed production.
The House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environmental Standing Committee on Feb. 3, 2025, recommended HB 251, a bill to convert Utah’s pollinator pilot program into a permanent Pollinator Habitat Program and to adjust grant cost-share terms.
Why it matters: Agency presenters said native pollinators support crops and native ecosystems and that the pilot produced measurable take-up across farm, ranch and private landscapes. Sponsors and the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food said making the program permanent will allow continued seed production, outreach and larger-scale habitat projects that can build drought-resilient landscapes.
What presenters told the committee: Jim Ochut, director of the Conservation Division at the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, summarized program outcomes since 2021: 679 recipients have used the program; about 131,000 native plants have been distributed to participants; and converting lawns to native plantings through the program was estimated to save roughly 109 acre-feet of water annually. Ochut said the program contracted with Utah State University to secure native seed sources and established demonstration projects and outreach that included more than 5,000 attendees at educational events.
Ochut testified that the bill would "change the name of the pollinator program from a pollinator pilot program to the pollinator habitat program and make it a permanent program instead of just a pilot project." He also described a proposed change to grant cost-share from 25% to 75% to align the program with other conservation cost-share programs.
Public comment: Sierra Hastings, with the Sageland Collaborative, said her organization has benefited from the program and urged lawmakers to "vote to conserve the pollinators that unite us and the habitats that sustain them." An online commenter, Cale Weston, urged vigilance about federal funding changes and suggested outreach to the state’s federal delegation.
Committee action: Representative Owens moved to recommend HB 251 with a favorable recommendation; the motion passed by voice vote with all members recorded as saying "aye." The committee listed the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food as the implementing agency for program expansion and indicated follow-up work, including developing a strategic statewide plan and broader partnerships.
What’s next: HB 251 was passed out of committee with a favorable recommendation and will proceed to the House floor for consideration. Agency staff and the sponsor signaled plans to provide further implementation details and to report outcomes to the legislature.
