Words of wisdom from a 91-year old farmer: Why we need local farms and a local food supply.

Farms in Utah are being developed at an alarming pace. This is because the elites such as Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and mono-culture Big-Ag producers (many Chinese owned) are buying up farmland. The prices of farmland, especially in places like Summit County, are skyrocketing.

Local leaders, cities and municipalities all love this trend for the windfall of property tax revenue they are earning. But what is the end game? Is it such a great idea to rely on ever fewer giant ag-businesses and distant locations for our food supply?

If we continue to rely more on California, Mexico and China for our food and don't value our local farmers we are doomed the next time there are supply-chain problems due to elevated gas prices, a foreign conflict or another pandemic. Farmers markets are doing great all over Utah, but our leaders (many of which are developers), place little to know value in farmland preservation.

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