Eagle Mountain teen advocates for agriculture preservation and future generation of farming
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- Alexandra Gates gives a speech during the annual Richard W. Erickson Foundation’s Antique Power Show in Wallsburg on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
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- Alexandra Gates, second from right, stands with Russell Baker of The Richard Erickson Foundation, third from right, and members of the Wasatch High School Future Farmers of America chapter as a check is presented during the annual Richard W. Erickson Foundation’s Antique Power Show in Wallsburg on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
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- Alexandra Gates gives a speech in front of attendees during the annual Richard W. Erickson Foundation’s Antique Power Show in Wallsburg on Saturday, June 21, 2025.
Alexandra Gates is not your typical high school student. The Eagle Mountain teen juggles sports and pageantry, all while advocating for cancer awareness.
And if that wasn’t enough, she also serves as the Cedar Valley High School Future Farmers of America chairwoman on the livestock team, on which she advises and organizes events for the chapter.
Gates, who is heading into her senior year at Cedar Valley, is passionate about inspiring people in her age group to become engaged in preserving agriculture.
On Saturday, Gates was honored for her contributions to agriculture during the annual Richard W. Erickson Foundation’s Antique Power Show held in Wallsburg.
“Let’s be honest; when you hear the word ‘agriculture,’ you probably aren’t picturing someone from my generation,” she said during her speech at the event. “But believe it or not, my peers and myself care deeply about our future and our food supply. And it all starts on a farm.”
According to a 2022 U.S. Department of Agriculture census report, the average age of farmers is around 60 years old, but there is also an increasing number of Gen Zers who are becoming more interested in the industry.
Surrounded by members of other local FFA chapters, Gates reflected on her own childhood memories that introduced her to the world of agriculture.
Gates recalled she and family visiting a family farm where she’d pick a variety of fruits during harvest season. She said those days were special, not just because it yielded family time but it also signaled the importance of food production.
“Those days taught me something I’ll never forget – food doesn’t just magically appear on grocery store shelves,” she said. “It’s grown. It’s cared for. It’s picked — often by hands that work long, hard hours under the sun.”
Gates also noted how the COVID-19 pandemic reinforced the critical need of agriculture. When grocery store shelves were low on dairy and poultry items, their family relied on its own resources.
“We had our own little garden and a flock of chickens,” she explained. “We used their eggs and we fed them leftover fruits and vegetables from our garden, to keep them healthy.”
While the younger generation is seemingly expressing an increased interest in local food production, overall U.S. farming and agriculture has seen a consistent decline in labor shortage over a period of decades.
The USDA reports that between 1948 and 2017, human hours worked in the farm sector declined by 80%, though productivity still saw growth.
Russell Baker, chairman of The Richard W. Erickson Foundation, said it’s inspiring to see people like Gates and other youth embrace agriculture.
“There is something spiritual (and) very special about being a steward of the land and the animals,” Baker said. “It’s enriching … that’s all there is to it, and it’s a calling.”
He said the foundation works to educate high school and junior high students about origins of farming at their museum filled with a unique collection of historical machinery — including antique farming equipment.
Baker said the foundation was impressed with Gates, not only for her efforts to inspire a future generation of farmers but also for her commitment to hard work.
Gates is an award-winning wrestler and competes in martial arts.
She previously served as Miss Eagle Mountain’s Teen and is currently crowned Miss Oquirrh Mountain Teen. Her community service initiative is raising awareness and advocacy for childhood cancer, inspired by her cousin, who was diagnosed with Leukemia eight years ago, and her dad, who was recently diagnosed with cancer last year.
“So we were pleased to read her story and give her an opportunity to speak,” Russell told the Daily Herald.
Saturday’s event also included tractor pulls, a display of various classic cars, motorcycles and other forms of entertainment aimed at keeping Utah’s rich history alive.
“The antique machinery on display here at the Erickson Foundation Ranch tells a story of innovation, resilience, and generations of people who worked the land with everything they had,” Gates said.
She believes the future generation of farmers can build on that legacy while also looking at innovative ways to combine traditional agriculture practices with modern technology.
“Gen Z cares, not because we’re nostalgic but because we’re realistic,” Gates said. “We know that if we don’t preserve and improve how we grow our food, our future — and the planet’s — is at risk. Agriculture preservation isn’t just about saving farmland. It’s about cultivating a sustainable, just and nourishing world, using every tool at our disposal to do it.”
