Local is new Ag deputy

Troy Forrest, a San Juan County native with more than 25 years of experience in the field, is a new Deputy Commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF).
UDAF Commissioner Kelly Pehrson appointed Forrest and Amber Brown to serve as Deputy Commissioners. Brown and Forrest were selected to fill the role Pehrson held prior to his appointment as Commissioner by Governor Spencer Cox in April.
“I have worked alongside Amber and Troy for many years in my role as Deputy Commissioner and I know that they both care deeply for the state, especially our farmers and ranchers,” said Pehrson.
Forrest has worked for UDAF in the Grazing Improvement Program (GIP) since 2010, serving as the GIP Director since 2021. He has spent his career dedicated to conserving rangeland in Utah as he also worked for the Association of Conservation Districts starting in 1998, as well as working for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on a fire crew while in college.
His love for agriculture comes from a lifelong experience growing up and working on his grandparent’s ranch in San Juan County. Troy is a 1989 graduate of Monticello High School.
Commissioner Kelly Pehrson is also a San Juan County native, graduating from Monticello High School in 1995.
“Utah’s agriculture producers are facing real challenges, and they deserve practical, responsive support,” said Forrest. “As Deputy, I’m committed to listening, problem-solving, and cutting red tape so producers can focus on what they do best—feeding our state and stewarding the land.”
Brown has been with UDAF since December 2019, serving as the Senior Policy Analyst and, most recently, as the Director of Legislative and Government Affairs.