Learn about Agriculture

This page is devoted to information about the importance of agriculture in our lives. If you are aware of information that advances this goal, please contact our web page author at: agriculture@utah.gov.

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"When tillage begins, other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization."
Daniel Webster

"Control oil and you control nations; control food and you control the people."
Henry Kissinger: 1970
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Links of Interest. Access media articles about agriculture.

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Take the 10,000 gardens challenge. This challenge shows our state residents connection to the land. Utahns are self-sufficient and we take pride in our communities. Whether you grow a tomato in a pot, tend a row in a community garden, or work a fruit and vegetable farm, we want to hear from you. Click here to join the challenge and watch our gardens grow.
Click here to see the kickoff video.

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Questions About Agriculture:
(click here to see the answers)

a. What percentage of the Earth's water supply is fresh water?
b. Off-farm costs for food, such as marketing and transportation account for how many cents of every dollars spent
on food?
c. Cottonseed oil is mostly used for what?
d. The most popular flowering shrub in Utah is the__________?
e. Fact or opinion? Seventy-five percent of U.S. forestland is set aside for non-commercial uses including wildlife habitat and recreational activities.

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Utah agriculture is featured in the January 2012 edition of John Deere's The Furrow Magazine.
(look for the video on time-controlled grazing)

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Why Protect Utah Agriculture?

This video first aired on The County Seat program February 12, 2012 on KTVX television.
See the entire program at: The County Seat.

 

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I Love Farming

I Love Farmers.org
Why? As young people we have an opportunity to make a difference in our world. If we do not make wise choices about where food in America comes from today, we will be become dependent on foreign sources of food tomorrow. That scares us. Look what happens when we depend on others for our oil?

Cowboys Who Care

Utah livestock ranchers care about their land and their animals. Each year they compete for the prestigious Leopold Conservation Award. Presented by the Sand County Foundation. More at www.sandcounty.net.

The 2011 Leopold Conservation Award was presented to the Osguthorpe Family of Summit County.
While managing their 178,000 acres of land near Park City, Steve Osguthorpe and his family carry on a tradition of conservation and sustainable agriculture that Steve inherited from his father, D. A. "Doc" Osguthorpe. "Protecting the soil and watersheds, that's been the focus of our farming operations, because we know that if we're going to be in business tomorrow, we've got to take care of the land today," said Steve Osguthorpe.

Click the arrow in the box to run the video.

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The 2010 Leopold Conservation Award was presented to the Tanner Family - Della Ranches of Box Elder County.
The Della Ranches include many conservation practices that help to ensure its sustainability for future generations. The Tanner brothers, Blaine, Brent and Jay and their families graze their livestock on land that is critical habitat for several wildlife species such as sage grouse, mule deer and elk. The Tanners' range management techniques take the health of the wildlife population into consideration.

Click the arow in the box to run the video.

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The 2009 award went to Butch and Jeanie Jensen of the TN Ranch.
The fifth generation ranchers are located in Carbon County. Their operation consists of two herds of more than 1,200 cattle on about 30,000 acres of private rangeland and 320,000 acres of state and federal rangeland. The family manages natural resources on the land in a manner that allows them to improve and flourish over time. The Jensen's use rotational grazing which helps increase vegetation and wildlife health.

See the video

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Ever wonder how YOU can help protect Utah farm and ranch land. There is a new web site dedicated just to that, it's www.agriadvocates.org/

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LEARN ABOUT HONEYBEES AND INSECTS

Learn about honeybees. Including: where to find a beekeeper in Utah

Links to other educational sites: A Kids Guide to Honey.
Bug and Insect Learning Center for Kids
Beekeeping guide for all ages

 

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See how trends in U.S. agriculture are discovered and recorded.

 

 

A group of Salt Lake City 4th graders visited a Davis County farm to learn about food safety. Click on the button to watch a short video. What's up with this donkey?
A well known Davis County farmer talks to school children about the careful use of pesticides on the farm. See the video.

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Utah's beef, pork, turkey, egg, and sheep industries demonstrated their latest nutritious and low cost recipes to Salt Lake area food editors during National Agriculture Week, March 15 - 21. The cooking demonstration was intended to remind Wasatch Front residents about the benefits of locally grown foods, like those participating in the Utah's Own Program. See the four-minute video of the cooking demonstration.

See local news coverage of cooking demonstration.

 

Agriculture Statistics

How big - How many - How much -- Everything you could ever want to know about Utah agriculture statistics.
USDA-NASS (National Agricultural Statistics Service) - An overview of Utah agriculture statistics.

 

Links of Interest

Note: The views expressed in videos and web pages found here do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food or the State of Utah. The intent of sharing these pictures, text and videos is to facilitate a flow of information to help Utah consumers understand the broad issues surrounding agriculture. You may offer feedback on any topic at: agriculture@utah.gov.

Paul Harvey's Poem - So God Made a Farmer
Farmer, Inc. The Real Story A site containing blogs, videos and other links to information directly from American farmers about modern agriculture. Click here.
A rebuttal to: Not all eggs are created equal. (7/23/09) The Utah egg industry points out that there are advantages and disadvantages to free range and confined methods of raising chickens, but the preponderance of current evidence tilts in favor of properly maintained caged systems for both animal welfare and for both consumer as well as producer economics. Read industry comments.
Several examples of why agriculture is important to us. I love farming.org
Getting Ready for National Agriculture Day 2010 National Agriculture Day March 20, 2010 National Agriculture Week March 14 - 20, 2010
U.S. Department of Agriculture Education and Outreach See a variety of useful and interesting education programs geared for both urban and rural citizens.
The Mission of Utah Agriculture in the Classroom: To improve agricultural literacy by developing programs that increase student awareness about agriculture and instill in students an appreciation for our food and fiber system.
Take a moment to appreciate American farmers Play the video
Farmers Can Feed the World (Wall Street Journal) Better seeds and fertilizers, not romantic myths, will let them do it. pdf copy
Farmers and Ranchers Can Prosper Under Clean Energy Climate Change Legislation - New USDA Analysis Shows an Economic Benefit.
The Animal Agriculture Alliance is a positive and informed voice communicating reliable, science-based information on key agricultural topics ranging from animal welfare to biotechnology to environmental impacts.
Nutritional quality of organic foods: a systematic review. This article states there is no evidence of a difference in nutrient quality between organically and conventionally produced foods. A Mayo Clinic article on the nutritional value of organic foods. Organic Consumers Association responds to Orgnic Nutrition Study News report on organic safety.
Supporting Local Food and Farms (ways to get involved - ways to save farms)