Farms

Vanishing Farmland: Paradise Lost as Vital Farmland Gives Way to Development in Ogden Valley, Utah

“We are losing the most productive farmland in the state to development,” Utah Farm Bureau Federation President Ron Gibson said recently, referring to the fertile land that first attracted pioneers to settle in Salt Lake City and along the Wasatch Front.

|


Scott Wayment of Warren, Utah. Photo by Dung Hoang.

Utah’s best farmland is disappearing. Just ask Utah Farm Bureau Federation President Ron Gibson. 

“We are losing the most productive farmland in the state to development,” Gibson said recently, referring to the fertile land that first attracted pioneers to settle in Salt Lake City and along the Wasatch Front.

“We have one of the best economies in the country … so people want to live and work here,” Gibson said. “So now we have a shortage of houses.”  And that’s how homebuilding became their direct competition.

Gibson’s family is now into its seventh generation of farming and raising dairy cows in western Weber County. While he’s seen fellow farmers sell off their land, Gibson said he has no plans to join them.

“We don’t care how many zeroes are behind the number. We want to farm here,” Gibson said. “To us, it means so much, but in order to do that we have to be economically viable.”

Eden Valley.

Packing up

Dave Brown currently divides his time between his Eden farm and his  300-acre operation in Virginia. But he recently sold his 16 acres in Eden to a developer and plans to bid Utah farewell by fall. But through the summer he’ll keep growing alfalfa to feed his beef cows. Brown worries about the price of alfalfa, which has now reached $12 per bale.

“I wouldn’t pay it,” Brown said. “I’ve sold alfalfa for $1.25 to $1.50 per bale in my lifetime, and a year or so ago it was $8 per bale. But in California it was $12 a bale 25 years ago.”

Rising costs, combined with skyrocketing property taxes, drought and encroaching growth, convinced Brown it was time to leave his slice of paradise in Eden.

“This weekend we had to listen to car after car, motorcycle after motorcycle all day long,” Brown said in mid-May. “That’s what we want to get away from all the traffic.”

At 55, he also likes the timing for such a change. 

“If I hadn’t sold this, I would have just worked myself into the ground until I was too old to do anything,” Brown said. “Now I’m going to have time and be young enough and healthy enough to do things.” 

Digging in

Scott Wayment, 73, farms about 230 acres in Warren, an unincorporated community in far west Weber County. He and his 40-year-old son raise alfalfa and corn to feed their herd of dairy cows.

“I’ve been doing it forever,” he said of the family livelihood that he learned as a boy. “Farming’s a business, and you really have to mind your P’s and Q’s financially. Everything you do, you have to do right. There’s not a lot of margin for error.” 

But now farmland in his area sells for about $40,000 per acre, due to development driving up demand. Even so, he plans to stay put for now.

“I’ll eventually retire, but my boy wants to farm so we’ll do it as long as we can,” Wayment said. “It’s a lot of pressure, some that I’d really like to get rid of one of these days.”

Long term plan

Gibson said that the Utah Farm Bureau is teaming with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to devise a 30-year “agri-structure” plan similar to what the Utah Department of Transportation compiles for roads.

Part of that plan involves beefing up Utah’s ability to process and sell locally the food grown in-state.

“We produce 90 percent of the dairy products that we use in the state right here in Utah. And that’s pretty awesome,” Gibson said. “But that’s because we have the milk plants right here in Utah to supply that market even though they’re old.”

The same cannot be said for local beef, where Utah lacks in-state processing facilities, Gibson said.

The Farm Bureau recently launched farmersfeedingutah.com to give Utahns an online alternative to buying groceries processed by giant out-of-state corporations.

“We’re focusing on local protein we haven’t got the produce part of it  figured out quite yet,” Gibson said. “They’re awesome products and that money goes directly to the farmers.”

RELATED CONTENT

Tagge’s Famous Fruit & Veggie Farms on the Biggest Challenges that Utah Farmers Face Today

Utah’s Disappearing Farms

Bulldozing Utah Farms For Vacation Condos: Is this what progress looks like?

They are stealing our water, Liberty Utah

Trouble in Paradise: Ogden Valley Considers Its Water Use Future

A Whole New World

Trappers and the Ogden Valley

SUBSCRIBE TO PRINT MAGAZINE

Subscribe to Utah Stories weekly newsletter and get our stories directly to your inbox

* indicates required



,


Join our newsletter.
Stay informed.

Related Articles


  • Fresh Simple Greens: A Year-Round Farming Marvel in Huntsville, Utah

    After two-and-a-half years in business, patience and persistence are paying off for Fresh Simple Greens. Orders continue to increase — from customers who buy direct and rave about the crisp, fresh taste of their lettuce, and more recently from grocery stores, which buy their herbs. 


  • From Farm to Table: The Bangerter Family’s 122-Year Journey in Utah Agriculture

    Bangerter Farms has seen its share of challenges over the last 122 years. The challenges that come with modern farming may be different than they were in the Great Depression years, but they are always in the back of any farmer’s mind. 


  • The Legacy of Ogden’s Farmers Market

    Every Saturday during the summer, the Farmers Market transforms Historic 25th Street in Ogden. The street comes alive with the smell of good food, the sight of colorful produce, and the sound of live music. Visitors can sample and buy fresh produce, baked treats, and handmade goods.


  • Paddleboarding Utah: A Guide to the Top Spots

    There’s a profound simplicity in standing on a paddleboard. Unlike a boat, a paddleboard places you directly on the water, bringing you closer to nature. The rhythmic movement of the paddle, the gentle lapping of the water against the board, and the undisturbed tranquility of the surroundings offer a unique connection with the environment.