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Show Initiative 1: Other States Making It Work Are you as confused as I am why Utah's agricultural organizations organi-zations have went on record opposing Initiative 1 that will appear on the ballot next week? Much of Utah's remaining agriculture land is at risk. The human population is growing fast with no end in sight. The world has found Utah, and many want to own a chunk of it. Private land values in many areas of the state are escalating beyond what agricultural enterprise enter-prise can support. Taxes based on value rather than use sometimes some-times makes it very difficult to farm and ranch. It would seem to me that any tool that could help ranchers and farmers stay in business and prosper would be of great interest and supported. support-ed. My professional career as a state wildlife biologist gave me continual opportunities to work directly with many of the ranchers ranch-ers and farmers of Garfield and Kane Counties. They are struggling strug-gling to stay in business. Since retirement I have worked part-time part-time the past three years with the state Division of Water Quality assisting on an assessment assess-ment of Utah's streams. We have been to nearly every nook and corner of the state looking at the state's water resources. Most Utah citizens would be amazed to see what is happening around our state. Everywhere I go, farm and ranchland is being converted to homes, cabins, and ranchettes. It is happening in almost every county. The areas east of the Wasatch Front and Southwest Utah are the most changed. What was once mountain ranches ranch-es is now inhabitated by thousands thou-sands of homes, cabins, and trailer houses. Much of the livestock live-stock is on small ranchettes and appears to be more for a hobby rather than a viable operation. . The lifestyle of rural. Utah is changing, fast. What makes a ranching or farming operation go oiit of business? In many cases the older generation would like to pass the family farm or ranch on to the children. Oftentimes, someone in the fami'ly would like to keep the property. However, agreements cannot be reached within the family on how everyone with a vested interest will get their fair share. And there are the estate' taxes. Thus, with ho other options, the land is sold for the highest price, the taxes are paid, and the money is divided. Who oftert buys the farm or ranch? Not your farmer or rancher next door. He can't afford it! Only the wealthy absentee corporation or businessman, entertainer, sports star, or developer can. I wonder who recently purchased the large Spencer Ranch near Glendale in Kane County and what use it will now become? With the asking price, take a guess. A current ad in the Garfield County News advertises; advertis-es; ranchlands for sale for ranchettes in the Boulder area. 'Seems to me that with all the rhetoric about grazing permits anil such on federal lands, that ' rapch and farm organizations would be more interested in the rancher being able to keep his jbae property. Otherwise, the .whole thing about federal graz-, graz-, irig becomes a mute point. ' Wildlife has become an asset 'to' many ranchers' operations. ' Various arrangements with the 'state now make it profitable to .have wildlife on private lands. , Private lands are critical to the Utah's wildlife , resources. Without the key habitats that private landowners provide, . much of the wildlife would not . be able to exist on adjacent public pub-lic lands. The conversion of I these private lands from ranch- irig and farming to other uses is devastating to wildlife populations. popula-tions. Private landowners need ' (See LETTERS on page 5A) : Letters l From Page 3A ' the option provided by Initiative v 1' to help them make choices for the future use of their lands. Valuable private areas need not always to look to The Nature ' Conservancy or others for protection pro-tection of the most valuable , undeveloped areas. Other states are making programs like " Intiative I work, so can we. Utah is a pretty great state. Let's all work to keep it that way. - Norman McK.ee Panguitch |