Conflict is mounting in Utah County between cherry farmers and gravel quarries. Orchard owners say the quarries are creating dust that damages their trees by coating the leaves in dust and allowing bugs to proliferate.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports orchards are located where elevation, soils and topography help create an ideal environment for growing fruit. Meanwhile, the sand and gravel quarries products are feeding a boom in real estate development and road building. The situation is pitting important Utah industries against one another. Farmers complain the state is favoring the construction industry but quarry operators say they are heavily regulated and their impacts are minimal.