The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is excited to announce the latest round of awards from the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund, which will protect more than 5,500 acres of Utah’s working farmland and ranches in perpetuity. These new agricultural conservation easements ensure these lands will remain dedicated to farming and ranching for generations to come.
The LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund is designed to help agricultural landowners protect their land from development through conservation easements. These easements limit non-agricultural uses of the land while allowing owners to continue farming or ranching. The six newly awarded projects, awarded through a competitive application process, span across Morgan, Box Elder, Cache, Wasatch, and Utah Counties, preserving a diverse array of agricultural landscapes—from livestock grazing to high-quality crop production while conserving vital wildlife habitats and other important resources.
“The LeRay McAllister Fund is vital to preserving Utah’s agricultural legacy,” said UDAF Commissioner Craig Buttars. “By supporting these conservation easements, we are helping farmers and ranchers secure their livelihoods while also ensuring that future generations can benefit from locally grown food and a robust agricultural economy. We are proud to stand with these landowners and support their commitment to responsible land stewardship.”
The LeRay McAllister Fund was created to safeguard Utah’s agricultural landscapes and economy. Through partnerships with landowners, federal agencies, land trust organizations, and local stakeholders, the fund provides the financial resources needed to secure easements that protect agricultural lands from development. These latest awards underscore the ongoing success of the program in preserving Utah’s agricultural resources and ensuring a sustainable future for the state’s farming and ranching communities.
Awarded Projects:
|
Farm/Ranch |
County |
Acres |
Awarded |
Partner Entity |
|
Elkhorn Ranch Phase 2 |
Cache |
115 |
$250,000 |
Bear River Land Conservancy |
|
Cascade Farm |
Utah |
20 |
$350,000 |
Utah Agricultural Land Trust |
|
Christian Michell Family Farm |
Wasatch |
37.83 |
$200,000 |
Utah Open Lands |
|
Sulphur Springs Ranch |
Morgan |
4,856 |
$500,000 |
Summit Land Conservancy |
|
North 40 LLC |
Box Elder |
698 |
$241,600 |
UDAF |
|
Horton |
Utah |
25 |
$183,900 |
The Nature Conservancy |
For more information about the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund and the newly awarded easement grants, visit https://ag.utah.gov/leray-
