July 22, 2026

UDAF Launches Historic $11 Million Food Security Grant to Strengthen Utah’s Food System and Expand Access to Local Food
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is now accepting applications for the expanded Utah Food Security Grant (UFSG). This initiative will invest millions of dollars into projects designed to strengthen the state’s food supply chain and increase access to locally grown and raised food in rural communities. Through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Rural Health

July 17, 2026
UDAF Publishes Study with UOT on Surge in Agritourism Interest, Economy
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) and the Utah Office of Tourism (UOT) announced the release of the 2026 Utah Agritourism Study. The comprehensive report, funded by an American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant through the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, quantifies the industry’s value and guides the long-term development of Utah’s rural and agricultural tourism sectors.

July 17, 2026
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Announces Streamlined Application Process and 2026 Funding Cycle for LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) today announced significant updates to the application process for the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund, designed to improve program clarity and better support the preservation of Utah’s most productive agricultural lands. Since its inception in 1999, the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund has been a cornerstone of agricultural

June 29, 2026
Wildfires Deepen Challenges Facing Utah Agriculture; UDAF Resources Available to Help
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is urging agricultural producers affected by recent widespread wildfires in Iron, Beaver, Piute, and Tooele Counties to seek available recovery assistance, while reminding all Utahns to take extra precautions to prevent additional wildfires. “Wildfires can change the course of a ranching operation in a matter of hours, but recovery often takes years,”

June 16, 2026
Consumer Alert: UDAF Audits Retailers Following Nara Organics Infant Formula Recall
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) announced a voluntary recall on Nara Organics Whole Milk Organic Infant Formula. The formula has been implicated in three cases of infant botulism in California, Pennsylvania, and Washington. Investigations by the FDA and CDC are ongoing. Inspectors from the Utah Department of Agriculture & Food (UDAF) are conducting

June 9, 2026
Interagency Partnership Facilitates Safe Grazing After Monroe Canyon Fire Using Virtual Fencing
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) and its partners are working to rehabilitate agricultural land usage after the Monroe Canyon Fire in the summer of 2025. The fire burned approximately 74,000 acres and affected grazing land in 7 grazing allotments. The agencies involved in this project have assisted and supported several ranchers in implementing virtual fencing technology, which

June 5, 2026
UDAF Prepares As New World Screwworm Confirmed in Texas
The Utah Department of Agriculture & Food (UDAF) has been notified that USDA-APHIS identified a confirmed case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Texas near the southern border. It is currently the only confirmed case in the United States. There are not yet any confirmed cases in Utah. New World screwworm is a fly whose larvae invade warm-blooded hosts via
June 2, 2026
Dairy HPAI Detected in Cache County: UDAF Enacts Mandatory Surveillance
On June 1, 2026, officials with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) were notified of a sample from a dairy in Cache County that tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). As a result, UDAF is enacting mandatory weekly surveillance for HPAI in dairies in Cache County. Federal funding is available to cover the cost of this

June 1, 2026
UDAF Publishes MCORE 2025 Utah Medical Cannabis Market Analysis
The Utah Department of Agriculture & Food (UDAF) has recently published a report in collaboration with the University of Utah’s Medical Cannabis Outcome Research & Evaluation (MCORE) team. The study surveyed participants and non-participants of Utah’s medical cannabis program to identify successes and barriers to adoption. UDAF began partnering with MCORE in November of 2024 with the intent to complete

June 1, 2026
Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Receives USDA Farm to School Grant to Expand Local Food Access and Education Statewide
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) has been selected as a Patrick Leahy Farm to School grantee by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). This $350,000 grant will support a statewide initiative to increase the use of locally grown Utah fruit in school meals while integrating agricultural and nutrition education into classrooms. “This award is an exciting step