How We Created a Vision:
Process for Creating the Vision
To create a vision for the future of agriculture in Utah, a team of experts gathered over a two-year period to share knowledge and extensively research and discuss options. Members of the Agriculture, Public Lands, and Recreation Action Team were selected by Governor Gary Herbert and Envision Utah to represent a spectrum of professional experience and political affiliations. Team members included agriculture experts, legislators, county commissioners, farmers, and other experts from across the state. Between 2013 and 2015, the action team met to identify the choices related to agriculture, create scenarios for public input, and synthesize a vision for the future. The process of creating this vision also consisted of the following components:
The action team used this information to create four different scenarios for the future of agriculture in Utah. The four scenarios each represented different strategies that resulted in different food self-sufficiency rates. These scenarios were presented to the public in the Your Utah, Your Future survey in spring 2015, and 52,845 Utahns weighed in.
After receiving public input on the four agriculture scenarios, the action team met to frame a vision, including goals and strategies, to achieve what Utahns said they wanted for agriculture in 2050.
Agriculture Action Team
Cochairs
Leonard Blackham
Kathleen Clarke
Wendy Fisher
Brad Peterson
Members
- Alma Adams
Commissioner, Iron County - Bruce Adams
San Juan County Council - LuAnn Adams
Commissioner, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food - Brandie Balken
Equality Utah - Brad Barber
Barber Consulting - Roger Barrus
Utah House of Representatives - Mallory Bateman
Utah Foundation - John Bennett
Utah Quality Growth Commission - Scott Chew
Cattle and Sheep Uintah Basin - Gene Ciarus
Grand County Council - Mark Clemens
Utah Chapter, Sierra Club - Mark Compton
President, Utah Mining Association - Larry Crist
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Jim Dabakis
Utah State Senate - LaNiece Davenport
Wasatch Front Regional Council - Joan Degiorgio
Nature Conservancy - Jack Draxler
Utah House of Representatives - Hans Ehrbar
University of Utah Department of Economics - John Evans
Petzl Climbing Equipment - John Fairchild
Utah Division of Wildlife Resources - David Garbett
Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance - Julia Geisler
Executive Director, Salt Lake Climbers Alliance - Kerry Gibson
Commissioner, Weber County - Laura Hanson
Executive Director, Jordan River Commission - Jon Hardman
Natural Resource Conservation Service - David Hinkins
Utah Senate - Sarah Hinners
University of Utah Metropolitan Research Center - Lynn Jackson
Grand County Council - Laynee Jones
Mountain Accord - Peter Knudson
Utah Senate - Mike Kohler
Wasatch County Council - Ashley Korenblat
Public Land Solutions - David Livermore
Utah State Director, Nature Conservancy - John Mathis
Utah House of Representatives - Chris McCandless
Sandy City Council - Kay McIff
Utah House of Representatives - Tara McKee
Utah Office of Outdoor Recreation - Michael Merrill
Salt Lake Chamber - Thayne Mickelson
Executive Director, Utah Conservation Commission - Wayne Niederhauser
Utah State Senate - Mike Noel
Utah House of Representatives - Ralph Okerlund
Utah State Senate - Juan Palma
BLM State Director - Randy Parker
CEO, Utah Farm Bureau - Ashley Patterson
Wasatch Community Gardens - Kent Peatross
Commissioner, Duchesne County - Julie Peck-Dabling
Salt Lake County Open Space & Urban Farming - Warren Peterson
Vice President, Farmland Reserve - Nathan Rafferty
President and CEO, Ski Utah - Curtis Rowley
Cherry Hill Farms - Dustin Rowley
Utah Association of Conservation Districts - Eric Sadler
Wasatch Mountain Club - Douglas Sagers
Utah House of Representatives - Selma Sierra
Director, Energy and Environmental Policy, Utah State University - Wesley Smith
Salt Lake Chamber - George Sommer
Blue Ribbon Fisheries Commission - Mike Styler
Executive Director, Utah Department of Natural Resources - Ed Sunderland
Sanpete County Farmer - Brent Tanner
Executive Vice President, Utah Cattlemen's Association - Gordon Topham
Commissioner, Sevier County - Elizabeth Tubbs
Grand County Council - David Ure
Summit County Council - Ron Vance
Recreational and Resource Manager, U.S. Forest Service - Vicki Varela
Managing Director, Utah Office of Tourism - Evan Vickers
Utah Senate - Logan Wilde
Morgan County Council