Agriculture Bills Passed During the 2025 Utah Legislative Session
Legend
Bird icon: Early Bird
Moon icon: Latecomer
Gavel icon: Unanimous Votes
Binoculars icon: Media Attention
HB0047 | Public Lands Watering Rights Amendments
Albrecht, C.
This bill established that if water for grazing is not used because the Animal Unit Months have been reduced by the federal government (this is when the government permits less stock to graze on an area so that overgrazing doesn’t occur), then water can’t be claimed by the federal government for other uses, particularly for wildlife, so long as the beneficial users of the spring or watering hole file a non-use application. This also does away with outdated livestock water use certificates.
HB0094 | Exemptions from Dangerous Weapons Provisions
Roberts, C.
This bill allows mobile harvest rigs (mobile butchers) to discharge a firearm on private property without first notifying all other property owners within 600 feet.
HB0194 | Beekeeping and Veterinary Amendments
Defay, A.
This bill allowed for a veterinarian to prescribe medication for bees without going in person to visit the beehive. It established a veterinarian-client-patient relationship with regard to bees.
HB0240 | Urban Farming Assessment Amendments
Shipp, R.P.
The bill allows land to qualify for the urban farming property tax assessment based on gross sales from farming activities, not just agricultural production levels. It removed the annual renewal application requirement, let part of a property qualify even if other parts don’t qualify, and gave county assessors the authority to request proof that the land meets the sales criteria. It also clarified how long land can remain qualified under this assessment.
HB0253 | Agriculture and Food Amendments
Albrecht, C.
This bill made a wide range of updates to Utah agricultural laws. It renamed the “Utah Fertilizer Act” as the “Utah Plant Food Act” and broadened its scope to include not only fertilizers but also soil amendments, beneficial substances, plant inoculants, and biostimulants. It modified the definition of a “qualified veterinarian” to expand eligibility for the veterinarian loan repayment program. The bill also changed references to the National Council on Weights and Measures, repealed the Utah Agriculture Certificate of Environmental Stewardship Program, and adjusted timeframes for annual fees under the Agricultural and Wildlife Damage Prevention Act. It addressed the expiration process for livestock brands and updated the information required to operate a livestock market. Under the Domesticated Elk Act, the bill revised rules for licensing, recordkeeping, health documentation, and animal marking. It clarified that funds in the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund Program are nonlapsing and converted the Agriculture Conservation Easement Account into an expendable special revenue fund. It authorized the use of the Agriculture Resource Development Fund to cover administrative costs and clarified the regulation of livestock by political subdivisions. The bill modified how certain sales and use taxes were earmarked to support the Division of Conservation within the Department of Agriculture and Food, and addressed the administration of grants under the agricultural water optimization program.
HB0421 | Grazing Amendments
Monson, L.
This bill updated Utah’s Wildlife Conservation Fund rules by adding a requirement that the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) must get approval before purchasing a grazing permit using fund money. Specifically, DWR must receive approvals from the local land use authority, the Department of Natural Resources, and the Department of Agriculture and Food. If any of these authorities don’t respond within 60 days, their silence counts as approval. The bill also harmonizes related terminology in state code and maintains existing reporting requirements, such as annual updates to the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee.
HB0435 | Building Code Amendments
Kohler, M.
This bill created an exemption for high tunnels—the plastic or fabric-covered agricultural structures used for growing, storing, or sheltering crops—from municipal and county building codes in Utah. Under the new law, high tunnels are not considered permanent buildings, and no building permit is required to construct one.
HB0510 | Agricultural Amendments
Dailey-Provost, J.
This bill mandates the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food to conduct a comprehensive study on local food availability. The bill defines “local food” as agricultural products produced, processed, and distributed within Utah for sale or consumption within the state. The study is intended to identify barriers and gaps in the local food supply, focusing on areas such as the intrastate food supply chain, crop production optimization, the agricultural workforce, and capital funding for local food production. Additionally, the study will examine production costs, economic impacts for agricultural operators, and opportunities for modernizing equipment or incorporating alternative crops. The department is required to seek input from a diverse group of agricultural producers based on geography, operation size, and operation type. Findings and recommendations must be reported to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim Committee by June 2026.
SB0005 | Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environmental Quality Base Budget
Hinkins, D.
This bill establishes the base budget for Utah’s Department of Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and Food, Department of Environmental Quality, and the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration for the fiscal years 2025 and 2026. The bill allocates specific funding amounts to various state agencies and programs, detailing exact budget allocations, nonlapsing fund provisions, and performance measurement targets.
SB0028 | Livestock Brand Board Amendments
Sandall, S.
This bill extended the expiration date of the law that governs the Utah Livestock Brand Board until July 1, 2035.
SB0080 | Water Fee Amendments
Sandall, S.
This required the Department of Environmental Quality, and allowed the Water Development Coordinating Council, to establish fee schedules for public water systems beginning on July 1, 2026, subject to approval by the Legislature, that incentivize communities to establish tiered rates, water planning, and water metering. It carves out agricultural use so that it is exempt from fees. Fees will go into the Water Infrastructure Fund.
SB0113 | Traffic Code Amendments
Sandall, S.
This bill established that in open range areas, when there is a collision on the highway with livestock, there is a rebuttable presumption that the collision was due to the negligence of the driver. In the case of civil action, damages for livestock are limited to the replacement cost of the livestock.
SB0253 | Railroad and Transportation Amendments
Harper, W.
This bill introduced several changes to the state’s railroad and transportation regulations. Notably, it removed the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food’s 88 2025 Report to the Governor and Legislature on Utah’s Land, Water & Air oversight of livestock injured on railroad rights-of-way, shifting that responsibility to the Utah Department of Transportation. Additionally, the bill mandated that the railroad ombudsman provide certain reports and complaints to rail companies, aiming to enhance communication and accountability within the industry. These amendments reflect the state’s ongoing efforts to streamline transportation regulations and improve coordination between agencies overseeing railroad operations.