Farmers and ranchers asking for all people in Utah to fast and pray for moisture Sunday

A parched piece of farm ground in Northern Utah represents a portion of the drought in the state.

SALT LAKE CITY – Ron Gibson, President of Utah Farm Bureau Federation, is inviting all residents of the state to join in a day of fasting and prayer for moisture on Sunday, May 16.

Ron Gibson, president of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation talks about how Farmers Feeding Utah came to be.

The lack of water is a major concern of people who work in agriculture.

The Utah Division of Water Resources reported Friday 76 percent of the west is in drought and 100 percent of the state experiencing moderate drought, with 90 percent of the state experiencing extreme drought.

As early as March, Governor Spencer Cox recognized the seriousness of the situation and issued an executive order declaring a state of emergency.

On behalf of farmers and ranchers in the state of Utah and the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, we respectively invite you to join us in prayer and fasting this Sunday so that we might have the necessary moisture to take care of our animals and nurture the crops that we’ve been given stewardship over,” Gibson said. “It has been said that ‘eating is an agricultural act.’ Whether you are directly or indirectly involved in agriculture, we invite all to join us in prayer and fasting.”

Gibson received a call from Erin Sorensen (the State Young Farmers & Ranchers committee chair) and said that they had just had a meeting and they were very concerned about the drought. She said they wanted to have a day of prayer and fasting on Sunday to pray for moisture.

“As I thought about it, I realized that I had been taught by the faith of our young leaders in agriculture,” he said. “As fasting and prayer is a tenant of many religions around the world, it does not matter what religion you are, or even where or if you go to church, but the reality is that when we are in those desperate moments in our lives, sometimes our Father in Heaven is the only one that can help us.”

Gibson believes this to be the case here.

“Farmers and ranchers all over our state, and all over the west have been desperately concerned about the lack of water we’ve received this last year and what is currently in our reservoirs,” he said. “Over the last month or so I have had many farmers and ranchers throughout the state say out loud that we needed to pray for moisture.”

The Farm Bureau Federation president said the Bible says that faith without works is dead.

“I believe that with our faith, and the hard work that farmers and ranchers put forth every day, God will bless us,” he said.

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12 Comments

  • Paul Wassermann May 15, 2021 at 2:16 pm Reply

    Well they picked a good Sunday ….thunderstorms are already forecast for Sunday evening.

  • Joseph Smith May 16, 2021 at 1:12 am Reply

    Try a rain dance or maybe simply ask Zeus?

    Seriously though…these people sound like they are mentally ill an need some help. Someone start a gofundme account.

    • Kay May 16, 2021 at 1:04 pm Reply

      Ahh, you must be one of those tolerant progressives I keep hearing about . When in reality, you’re just all about “ think as I think, believe only as I believe”. We can do without you here.

  • Kay May 16, 2021 at 4:15 pm Reply

    To the moderator,
    You will allow Christian bashing ; comparing us to the Greek’s mythology and and calling us mentally ill but you won’t allow my response. What slippery slope! I hope you are possibly just busy today, thus the slow response. Thank you.

  • Joseph Smith May 17, 2021 at 8:28 pm Reply

    I never said I was tolerant or a progressive. Just a concerned, caring human who feels like people who put their hopes into an imaginary man in the sky might need some counseling or shock therapy or a hug.

    And I don’t know why you would be offended by a comparison to other made up deities. No difference. Just another plot someone made up. Your’s is just a little newer. Equally as wacky though.

  • Porco May 19, 2021 at 3:44 am Reply

    may be our Governor Newsom should also ask people in California to pray for our California’s water issue and wildfire. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

  • ADHW May 19, 2021 at 9:07 am Reply

    Sorry I was too busy solving real problems by supporting legislation to minimize carbon emissions to reduce the effects of extreme climate change. Thoughts are prayers do nothing… Sorry… Your god is completely imagary. You got to do some real work if you want to see a change.

    • Kay May 19, 2021 at 9:00 pm Reply

      Faith , hope and love is what our world needs. That’s being taken away and look where we are.

    • G B May 20, 2021 at 10:09 pm Reply

      Extreme climate change? AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH….I can’t breathe! Good one! Now THAT is imaginary! Your belief that man can somehow control the weather…AHAHAHAHAHAHA….and here you are accusing us of believing in something fake and made up. Oh the delicious Irony!

      • Common Sense May 21, 2021 at 8:38 am Reply

        Hey, guess what folks? You can pray to whatever God you believe in for help and you can work hard to reduce emissions and fix climate change. These things are not mutually exclusive. It’s time we all stop yelling at each other and work together to fix our common problems. Have a good day,

      • Gesmas May 25, 2021 at 1:08 pm Reply

        We aren’t controlling it we are defiling it. Climate change is here and real, but there is no stopping it. It is ok though, our grandchildren will really get to enjoy the festivities.

  • Gesmas May 25, 2021 at 1:04 pm Reply

    You know, good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. Pray all you want, it will make you feel better. However, do you think that we might be being punished for our collective behavior? If God can hear your prayers then he is aware of what is going on around here and it is his will. We just need to endure the suffering brought on by the lord.

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