SANTAQUIN — Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. attended an elementary school assembly Friday morning to sign a legislative resolution supporting Santaquin's efforts to create a Utah farming heritage district.

The heritage district incorporates all of Santaquin and provides the city with guidelines to carefully manage growth and prevent it from encroaching on established farmland. Utah Rep. Patrick Painter, R-Nephi, proposed a resolution to support the district in this year's Legislature, and it was unanimously approved in both chambers.

On Friday, Huntsman visited Orchard Hills Elementary in east Santaquin to make the resolution official. He directed his remarks at the event to the gathered schoolchildren, quizzing them on Santaquin and farming before making them take the "Governor's Promise" to work hard in school.

After the event, Huntsman hailed Santaquin for its foresight in working to incorporate the district in its master plan.

"Santaquin is a town of 7,000 going on 30,000," Huntsman said, referring to 20-year growth projections. "We have a lot of Santaquins in the state, so to the extent you can set an example here as far as planning and education, you're doing a great thing not only for the present, but for our children and future generations, and that's what this is really about."

Santaquin Mayor James DeGraffenried said city officials have been trying to form closer working relationships with agricultural workers in the area.

"We want them to understand we appreciate them and we support them," he said.

Santaquin has grown from a population of 4,834 in 2000 to an estimated population now of about 7,000. It is still home to a number of growers, including the co-op group at Rowley's South Ridge Farms, located on the southern edge of town. Tart cherries are the main crop in the area, with enough production taking place throughout southern Utah Valley to make Utah the No. 2 tart cherry producer in the nation.

Members of the Rowley family were on hand to present the governor with a gift basket of cherry products. The family, like other farmers in the area, is embracing the concept of a historical district.

"I think if it really works out the way they're planning for it to work out, it will be great," said Thad Rowley, vice president of South Ridge Farms. "Farming has been very critical to the history of Santaquin."

South Ridge Farms is home to the Big Red Barn, a place the Rowleys have made into a tourist attraction with a gift shop and hay rides. That is a template that city leaders hope to follow as they plan a Farming Heritage Center and focus on bringing other agricultural-related businesses to town.

"Essentially what we want to do is make agriculture the center of development in Santaquin," said Stefan Chatwin, city manager. "That's why people are moving here. They like having open space, they like having an orchard in their back yard. We want to be careful not to kill that in the name of growth and so-called progress."

City officials are working on finding an appropriate site and funding for the Farming Heritage Center.

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