Utah representative Casey Snider, along with Cache County Farm Bureau president Chris Chambers, talks to KVNU For the People host Jason Williams.
LOGAN –This month voters will be deciding on the Open Space Bond Initiative that, if approved, would encourage open space to temper runaway growth in the area.
“I’ve got kids that would like to continue to farm, and it’s getting harder and harder to afford. You’ve got to get more acres to be more viable, and it’s just getting harder and harder to do that, and I can’t compete against development”, Chambers explained.
He said a lot of land is owned by older farmers who can no longer work the farm and they would like to see it remain agriculture, but they can’t turn down the money when it comes along.
Also on the program, Representative Casey Snider said there are other areas of the state where open space has been an issue.
“But one of the things that’s really interesting to me….for people like Chris, this isn’t just an abstract conversation, for people who live in this valley, this isn’t just something we’re going to throw on the ballot, and it’s not going to have an impact on our lives. This is real, it’s real to agriculture in this valley, and it’s real to what we want this valley to look like,” Snider said.
He said if you look at places that haven’t done this, like Utah County, that was, at one time, one of the most productive places in the state for orchards. Snider said “I dare you to find an orchard around BYU anymore – they’re gone.” He said they also don’t come back once they are gone.