Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Announces Streamlined Application Process and 2026 Funding Cycle for LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) today announced significant updates to the application process for the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund, designed to improve program clarity and better support the preservation of Utah’s most productive agricultural lands.

Since its inception in 1999, the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund has been a cornerstone of agricultural land preservation in Utah, having awarded over $27 million in grants and preserving nearly 100,000 acres of land. By providing matching funds for conservation easements, the program successfully leverages state appropriations to unlock federal and private sector funding, achieving a historical leverage ratio greater than 7:1.

The 2026 funding cycle introduces several key changes aimed at making the application process more efficient for partners and more objective in its project evaluation:

• Simplified Application: The program has retired the long-form questionnaire in favor of a streamlined submission process, requiring only a property shapefile, proof of ownership, and a narrative detailing the agricultural operation and conservation values.
• Adapted LESA Framework: UDAF has adopted an adapted version of the NRCS Land Evaluation and Site Assessment (LESA) framework, which prioritizes soil quality and irrigated agricultural acreage.
• Objective Scoring: Projects will be scored on a 200-point scale based on soil quality, water availability, parcel size, and development pressure, with an additional 25 bonus points available for projects that strongly support key program priorities.
• Annual Review Cycle: The program has transitioned to a single annual review cycle to improve scheduling and administrative efficiency.

“These updates represent our commitment to ensuring this fund remains a highly effective tool for protecting Utah’s agricultural heritage. By modernizing our criteria and simplifying the application process, we can better identify and support the projects that provide the greatest benefit to our working lands and farming communities.”

– Jeremy Christensen, Land Conservation Program Manager at UDAF.

2026 Program Timeline:

• Application Deadline: August 31
• Staff Review & Site Visits: September–October
• Board Review & Final Decision: November
• Award Notifications: December 1

We encourage all interested parties to review the updated 2026 LeRay McAllister Grant Manual and application materials, which are available on https://ag.utah.gov/conservation/leray-mcallister-working-farm-and-ranch-fund/. Applications must be submitted through the UDAF Submittable Application Portal.

About the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund:

Administered by the independent Land Conservation Board under the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund provides critical grants for the purchase of agricultural conservation easements. The program fosters a collaborative effort between state, federal, and private entities to ensure the long-term viability of Utah’s agricultural markets.