The Utah Farm Bureau Federation (UFBF) has released its list of “Issues to Watch For in 2019,” listing its issues for the 2019 Utah general legislative session that began last week. The organizations said that the issues list is based on its policy book, which it adopted at its convention in November.
“It is important to know the policies we fight for come from the grassroots level, from actual farmers and ranchers on the ground and in the trenches, not simply from the ideas of one leader or board,” said Ron Gibson, a dairy farmer from Weber County and president of the UFBF. “These policies come to us through debate and deliberation on issues felt on the farms of the smallest towns as well as in the families of the largest cities in Utah. These issues have a direct impact on our ability to grow and enjoy food in Utah.”
The federation listed its concerns on the state level as:
1. Right-to-farm laws. Most states in the U.S. have what are known as “right-to-farm” laws, which are used to help farmers and ranchers continue the challenging work of growing crops and raising animals, while providing some protections from frivolous lawsuits. In recent years, some have quickly turned to lawsuits to settle realities of production agriculture. Despite claiming lawsuits won’t harm small farmers because they are directed at corporate agriculture ownership, the reality is frivolous lawsuits impact all farmers and ranchers because of the operational relationship between corporate ownership and small family farms, the UFBF said.
2. Private property rights. With the amount of public land in Utah, private property is at a premium. As Utah’s population continues to grow, farmers and ranchers are increasingly dealing with the issue of urban encroachment, especially in urban areas.
In a growing economy, UFBF said it wants to make sure aggressive economic growth policies are not promoted at the expense of private property rights. It wants to preserve and strengthen the principle of “willing buyer-willing seller” and check abuses of eminent domain authority.
3. Sales tax reform. Recent legislative discussions have led to proposals and budget recommendations that directly impact Utah production agriculture and rural Utah. UFBF believes sound tax policy is best represented by fair sales, property and income taxes. Legislative proposals to change this balance should not negatively impact Utah agriculture, it said.
4. Water issues. With three million new residents expected to come to Utah, and with the federal government increasingly bowing out from funding major water development projects, Utah taxpayers will have to meet the growing water infrastructure needs. This includes big-ticket items like the Lake Powell pipeline, as well as the day-to-day maintenance and construction of new and existing water infrastructure. This is often "out-of-sight, out-of-mind" for most residents, UFBF said.
Additional issues include greenbelt laws, transportation funding, water and air quality and state wildfire prevention.
UFBF listed its concerns on national issues to include wildfires and land management, trade, clean water, and immigration reform.