Are you basing this off of GDP? The 1st and 3rd largest GDP in Utah is Banking/Insurance and Government. So using your logic, we need to grow banking/insurance and government and shrink food production. Smart.

Also, inter-state commerce is the life-blood of a strong economy. Hay exports for example bring foreign money into the state. This is a straight shot to the economy of Utah. Hay sold to local dairies on the other hand is somewhat diluted. American dairies are highly subsidized so taxpayers are helping pay for that feed to some degree and the money is just getting cycled. You act like the money we get in return for farming is negligible. It is several "big B" billions of dollars that comes back into the state. Pure inter-state commerce.

The reason hay is grown in Utah is because it is dry. Wet hay spoils very fast. The mountain water and the dry conditions grow the best hay in the world. So much so that dairies on the other side of the world will pay a premium to get it. We are feeding the largest population centers in the world and if the time ever came to where we needed the ground for Utahns. You can bet that will happen.

The GSL and Utah's water situation was as healthy as it's ever been around 40-50 years ago coming out of several good winters. Since then agriculture ground has been shrinking at a rapid pace and development has taken over much of this agriculture ground. Here we are in worse shape than we've ever been with less agriculture ground and more development than ever.