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Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development
Utah—Life Elevated
Utah's Own
Utah's Own Program Has Rich Heritage
The Utah Food Council was created in the summer of 2001 with the help of a small grant from the Risk Management Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture administered by Neil Hamilton, of Drake University Agriculture Law Center.
“We provided the initial vision of the Council and asked industry leaders to join,” said Richard Sparks, Deputy Director of UDAF, “Because of their great efforts we have realized most of that original vision and created the Utah’s Own program,” he added.
Cary Peterson, the Commissioner of Agriculture at that time, understood the original concept and suggested the names of several individuals that he felt would be instrumental in accomplishing the vision of the Utah Food Council as created by Sparks.
“We are most grateful for their dedicated efforts,” said Sparks. “Some of them drove two hours to meetings and then two hours home after the meetings.”
With the facilitating services of Dr. Joan Burnside of Burnside Consulting, the Council pooled their experience and insights to create a statewide marketing plan which included the Utah’s Own program. Jane Ann Nelson of Fullnelson Creative put together the marketing package needed to get the program off the ground and organized a press conference to officially launch the Utah’s Own program. The press conference was held on December 18, 2002 in the Governors Board room.
The individuals responsible for the development of the Utah’s Own program include:
* Ken Ashby, Utah Farm Bureau Federation
* DeeVon Bailey, Utah State University
* Gina Cornia, Utahns Against Hunger
* Keith Gillins, Gillins Dairy
* Barbara McFarland, McFarland Foods
* Maria Nye, Nye Dairy
* Steve Reich, Associated Food Stores
* Michael Roberts, Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy
* Chad Rowley, Mountainland Apples
* Steve Sloan, Van Cott, Bagley, Cornwall & McCarthy
* Lee Sorensen, Utah Farm Bureau Federation
* Jim Ure, Mt. Olympus Waters
Funding for the program prior to 2005 was somewhat limited and with the selection of Leonard Blackham as the new Commissioner of Agriculture, a successful promotion of the program to the Utah legislature was undertaken which has since provided necessary program funding.
Commissioner Blackham created a new Marketing and Development Division and chose Jed Christenson to be the Marketing Director replacing acting director Richard Sparks and moved Seth Winterton from Department Investigator (MBA with emphasis on Marketing) and Camille Anderson to the new Division.