| Like many areas in the Intermountain West, Utah has experienced rapid population growth in the 1990s. This growth has resulted in the conversion of agricultural lands to various types of urban uses. However, no systematic study of Utah agricultural operators and the factors that influence their decisions to sell land for non-agricultural uses has been conducted. Decisions of individual agricultural operators account for the aggregate loss of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses, and the decisions of individual agricultural operators will determine the extent of agricultural land loss to non-agricultural uses in the future.;The present study identifies important factors that influence farmers' expectations to sell some or all of their farming operation in areas where there has been a relatively rapid increase in the conversion of agricultural land to non-agricultural uses. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are employed.;Findings indicate that when farmers anticipate increased negative change, particularly difficulty in retaining and obtaining rental land and purchasing land, as a result of urban growth in the area, it reduces their optimism about the future viability of their own agricultural operation. When farmers expect their operation to become unviable due to increased non-agricultural land uses in the area, they are more likely to expect to sell all or part of their operation for non-agricultural land uses. If a child or another relative plans to take over the farming operation, farmers are less likely to expect to sell some or all of the operation for non-agricultural land uses. A decreasing profitability trend over the previous few years also contributes to a higher expectation to sell some or all of the farming operation. The following factors appear to have little association with the expectation to sell some or all of the farming operation: level of intrinsic rewards that a farmer experiences from his farming operation, the farmers satisfaction with his community, or the farmer's nearness to retirement age.;Limitations of the present study are also presented. The study concludes with suggestions for further research. |
