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Commissioner Blackham moderated a conference aimed at finding ways to protect Utah's farmland. One proposal, offered by Cache County Rep. Jack Draxler, is to use "rollback" taxes to purchase conservation easements on farmland. Under the voluntary program, money to buy these conservation easements would be paid through existing "rollback" taxes, which are collected when farmland is taken out of production for development. Commissioner Blackham said the proposed Agriculture Sustainability and Investment Fund is fair and an appropriate use of the dollars generated from development.
Commissioner Blackham said, "Utah has been losing its important farmland for decades. We've lost about 500,000 acres in the past decade. That represents the loss of more than 600 farms where wheat for millions of loaves of bread, or billions of apples could have been grown."
Nearly 100 farmers, mayors, county commissioners, and Utah legislators attended the conference titled: Sustainable Options for Protecting Farmlands in Utah in 2010 and Beyond. It was sponsored by the UDAF, Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE), Utah Association of Conservation Districts, Envision Utah, and the Utah Conservation Commission.

Hear Utah Lt. Governor Bell speak on the importance of protecting farmland.