Friend on the farm

People who rarely venture from the bustle of the Wasatch Front may think the state's agricultural industries are fast becoming relics of the past. After all, recent census studies show that hundreds of Utah farmers have put away their plows for good in the past few years.

But Leonard M. Blackham would beg to differ.

The longtime turkey grower in Moroni, Sanpete County, and former vice president and manager of Moroni Feed Co.'s Feed Division has depended on agriculture for his livelihood.

So when Blackham, the new Utah commissioner of agriculture and food, says the industry can have a promising future in the state, he speaks with the voice of experience.

"I think along the Wasatch Front (agriculture) is somewhat limited, but in rural Utah, it's still the base of the economy," Blackham said. "Rural Utah's economic vitality depends on agriculture. . . . The flavor, the culture of rural Utah is agriculture."

It's a culture Blackham knows well.

"I'm a turkey grower now and have a son who manages the turkey farm" with three employees, Blackham said. "We grow 238,000 birds a year on our farm. . . . We've been there since 1938, and Norbest is our brand. We're proud of our product and proud of our marketing efforts."

But it was not just Blackham's agricultural background that led Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. to appoint him on Jan. 5 to lead the state's Department of Agriculture and Food, replacing longtime commissioner Cary Peterson.

"We went with Leonard Blackham because of his professional and legislative experience," said Jason Chaffetz, Huntsman's chief of staff.

That legislative background started in 1992, when Blackham was elected to the Utah House of Representatives. However, he was appointed to the state Senate before taking the oath of office and served in the Senate for 12 years, including 10 years in leadership roles.

When Huntsman offered him the commissioner post, Blackham said, "I decided that I thought I could contribute to our area and rural communities in that position. With my legislative and political background, that's a lot of the interface that the commissioner needs to do."

Randy Parker, chief executive officer of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, said Blackham's diversity of experience makes him a good choice to lead the department.