1     
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING FARMERS

2     
FEEDING UTAH

3     
2021 GENERAL SESSION

4     
STATE OF UTAH

5     
Chief Sponsor: Scott H. Chew

6     
Senate Sponsor: Luz Escamilla

7     

8     LONG TITLE
9     General Description:
10          This concurrent resolution addresses the Farmers Feeding Utah program.
11     Highlighted Provisions:
12          This resolution:
13          ▸     outlines past difficulties for Utah's resilient agriculture community and Utah
14     families;
15          ▸     describes the creation of the Farmers Feeding Utah program; and
16          ▸     recognizes the Farmers Feeding Utah program and its benefits to Utah.
17     Special Clauses:
18          None
19     

20     Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
21          WHEREAS, agriculture has always been a vital part of Utah's communities and culture;
22          WHEREAS, the trials of the year 2020 and COVID-19 showcased the resilience of
23     Utah's agricultural community;
24          WHEREAS, Utah farmers and ranchers were no different than farmers and ranchers
25     across the nation who were faced with difficulties of getting their products processed and
26     delivered to market;
27          WHEREAS, many farmers and ranchers faced the very real possibility of the farmer's or

28     rancher's products spoiling, ending up in a landfill, or being dumped onto the ground like many
29     dairy farmers had to do;
30          WHEREAS, at the same time, many Utah families faced financial difficulties, many for
31     the first time, and the state experienced a 300% increase in food assistance;
32          WHEREAS, the Utah Farm Bureau, which has been a part of Utah since Utah was a
33     fledging state, has as the Utah Farm Bureau's mission to "Inspire all Utah Families to connect,
34     succeed and grow through the Miracle of Agriculture";
35          WHEREAS, the Utah Farm Bureau partnered with Utah State University Extension and
36     the university's Create Better Health Program and Hunger Solutions Institution to form the
37     Farmers Feeding Utah program;
38          WHEREAS, the Farmers Feeding Utah is a program of the Miracle of Agriculture
39     Foundation;
40          WHEREAS, this partnership created a way to facilitate the delivery of Utah produced
41     food from Utah farmers and ranchers to Utah families in need;
42          WHEREAS, to date, Farmers Feeding Utah has raised more than $800,000, enabling
43     them to deliver more than 1 million pounds of Utah produced food to 20,000 Utah families and
44     over 24 food pantries throughout the state;
45          WHEREAS, the Navajo Nation, one of the hardest hit areas of the United States, was
46     one of the first to receive Farmers Feeding Utah attention with deliveries of hundreds of live
47     sheep along with food to the devastated residents;
48          WHEREAS, Farmers Feeding Utah was proactive in finding a way to both sustain Utah
49     farmers and ranchers, as well as families throughout the state; and
50          WHEREAS, this process has helped unify communities through volunteer service and
51     donation opportunities:
52          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
53     Governor concurring therein, recognizes the Farmers Feeding Utah program as a grassroots
54     effort to care for the needs of Utah families that exemplifies the generous and caring spirit of
55     Utah's farmers and ranchers, and consequently showcasing Utah Farm Bureau's mission of
56     connecting Utah families with Utah's agriculture.
57          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of the resolution be sent to the Utah Farm
58     Bureau.