HB 253 Utah House · 2025 General Session

Agriculture and Food Amendments

HB 253 is a technical revision bill that updates Utah's agricultural laws without introducing new policies or funding. It changes the name of the Utah Fertilizer Act to the Utah Plant Food Act, repeals the Agriculture Certificate of Environmental Stewardship Program, and updates definitions (like "qualified veterinarian") across multiple statutes. The bill primarily makes conforming changes to ensure consistency in existing agricultural regulations, such as adjusting fee timelines, livestock branding rules, and fund management procedures. These updates streamline legal language but do not alter how agriculture is regulated or affect farmers' daily operations.

Issues: ✗ Environment

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Feb 2025

House Passage

Feb 2025

Senate Passage

Feb 2025

Signed into Law

Mar 2025

Introduced Jan 21, 2025 Signed Mar 24, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute #1 → Enrolled · 7 edits · Mar 24, 2025

MODERATE

This bill updates Utah's agricultural laws to modernize definitions, shift regulatory authority, and clarify funding rules. It changes the fertilizer program name to reflect plant food, updates the definition of a 'qualified veterinarian' to include those working in shelters or Indian country, and establishes a new committee to manage agricultural water optimization grants. The bill also repeals an old environmental stewardship certificate program and clarifies that certain farm funds do not expire annually.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of preemption to include plant food alongside commercial feed, fertilizer, pesticides, and seeds, limiting local government regulation in these areas. It also creates a new oversight committee for agricultural water grants.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'qualified veterinarian' to include individuals practicing in animal shelters, Indian country, or as department employees, and adjusted the required percentage of livestock medicine practice.

Changed references to the 'Utah Fertilizer Act' to the 'Utah Plant Food Act' to align with current terminology.

REQUIREMENT

Created the 'Agricultural Water Optimization Committee' to oversee grant eligibility, application processes, and research into water conservation technologies.

Repealed the Utah Agriculture Certificate of Environmental Stewardship Program, removing the requirement for this specific certification.

FISCAL

Clarified that money in the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund Program is nonlapsing, meaning it does not expire at the end of the fiscal year.

ENFORCEMENT

Strengthened state preemption laws to explicitly include plant food, preventing local governments from regulating this sector.

TIMELINE

Adjusted the expiration date of the bill's effective date from February 25 to March 7, 2025.

Introduced → Substitute #1 · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill significantly updates Utah's agriculture laws by renaming the Fertilizer Act to the Plant Food Act to include modern products like biostimulants, repealing an environmental stewardship certificate program, and clarifying that local governments cannot regulate livestock ownership or trading. It also adjusts fee deadlines for livestock, adds new licensing requirements for domesticated elk facilities, and creates a new chapter to ensure political subdivisions cannot restrict livestock activities.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of regulated products from traditional fertilizers to a broader category called 'plant food' and explicitly removes local government authority to regulate livestock ownership and trading within their jurisdictions.

DEFINITION

Renamed the 'Utah Fertilizer Act' to the 'Utah Plant Food Act' and added new definitions for 'beneficial substances,' 'biostimulants,' and 'plant amendments' to cover modern agricultural products.

REQUIREMENT

Repealed the 'Utah Agriculture Certificate of Environmental Stewardship Program,' removing the requirement for producers to obtain this specific certification.

Updated domesticated elk licensing to require separate fees for each business name used at a facility and changed license expiration dates from July 1 to June 30.

Added new requirements for livestock market licenses to include detailed financial asset/liability statements and trade area analysis.

SCOPE

Added a new chapter (Title 11, Chapter 46b) explicitly stating that local governments cannot deny business licenses or restrict the trading, selling, or transferring of livestock based on ownership.

TIMELINE

Changed the deadline for submitting livestock grazing fee reports from April 1 to December 31 and adjusted the deadline for brand renewal notices.

FISCAL

Changed the Agriculture Conservation Easement Account from a restricted account to an expendable special revenue fund to allow more flexible use of money for monitoring and enforcement.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Mar 24, 2025

Signed into law

Governor Signed

executive

Feb 21, 2025

Legislature · Passed

House/ signed by Speaker/ sent for enrolling

legislature

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Senate/ signed by President/ returned to House

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate/ passed 3rd reading

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate/ committee report favorable

upper

Feb 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Senate Comm - Favorable Recommendation

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Senate/ to standing committee

upper

Feb 7, 2025

Introduced

Senate/ 1st reading (Introduced)

upper

Feb 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

House/ passed 3rd reading

upper

Jan 29, 2025

Lower · Passed

House/ committee report favorable

lower

Jan 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

House Comm - Favorable Recommendation

lower

Jan 27, 2025

Committee

House/ to standing committee

lower

Jan 21, 2025

Introduced

House/ 1st reading (Introduced)

lower

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor