Farmland Protection
Read the text of H.B. 102, Agriculture Sustainability Act.
See a 3-fold brochure on how the Act will protect agriculture land.
Hear Utah Lt. Governor, Greg Bell's comments on the need to protect Utah's food-producing farmland.
Agriculture Sustainability Act - House Bill 102
Purpose: An Agriculture Sustainability Investment Fund to be developed in each county to preserve and sustain our ability to produce food in Utah.
Background: Our dependency of foreign energy has increased dramatically over the past 50 years. Data and trends are showing that unless we work toward producing more of our own locally grown food that we could experience that same type of dependency on foreign food and fiber without the safeguards of our regulatory controls and reasonable prices. Current agricultural revenue in Utah exceeds $1.5 billon dollars worth of crops and livestock sales.
Critical Trends:
Between 2003-2008, Utah alone has been lost 500,000 acres of agricultural lands to development
(1980’s – 10,000 ac/yr) (1990’s – 20,000 ac/yr) (2000’s – 60,000 ac/yr)
Utah’s population is growing at a current rate of 22 percent while the nation as a whole is only at 8 percent
Solutions: Develop solutions that maintain our local and nationwide food and fiber supply.
Preservation of productive agricultural food-producing properties
Increased grazing management and production of private, state, and federal lands.
Increased production – genetic engineering
Improved disease control and irrigation efficiency
OR dismiss the data and allow our food needs to increasingly depend on foreign markets.
Outcome: While many solutions are being considered, without the land base to produce food we will find it hard to keep up with the demand.
The Agriculture Sustainability Investment Fund is one of many factors that could alter this negative trend.
Key Points:
Each county creates a fund that collects moneys from rollback taxes, donations, grants, and gifts.
The purpose for the fund is to conserve land for FOOD & FIBER production.
Each county will develop a Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) planning document to ensure the most desirable soils and local important agricultural production economies are given priority.
Funds will be governed by locally-elected officials (elected Conservation District Officials).
Truth in taxation through a one-time tax adjustment based on 2009 rollback revenues delayed until 2011.
Ponder the Following:
We all eat - every person in Utah eats every day
We are all part of the calculated need – Utah population has increased 22 percent since 2000
We as leaders have the responsibility to plan now - data indicates the real need exists
We can alter the negative trends of loosing our natural food producing land resources
We don’t want to become completely dependant on outside food and fiber sources
We need to maintain more local production