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Utah Department of Agriculture lays out plan to protect farmland, expand processing and shore up workforce
Summary
At an April 19 Utah County Commission work session, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food outlined strategic goals—agri‑structure, workforce recruitment, land preservation and water optimization—and described programs including meat-processing grants, a vet loan repayment program, water‑saving projects and mental‑health vouchers for producers.
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…
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