News

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

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

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

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

Live Virtual Program: Wednesday, August 12, 2026 10am-6pm ET/9am-5pm CT/8am-4pm MT/7am-3pm PT Level: Basic to Advanced This program is unique in the nation. It will address how to value conservation easements (CEs) and prepare qualified appraisals for tax-deductible CE donations. Attendees will be provided with extensive materials—including relevant laws, regulations, cases, and sample appraisal provisions—to use as a desktop guide. The five

Governor Spencer Cox’s newest Declaration of Emergency regarding the drought in Utah has opened up the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF)’s Emergency Disaster Relief Loan (EDRL) Program to Utah agricultural producers in all 29 counties with urgent drought-related expenses. The loan program will remain open to accept applications related to this emergency for a period of 6 months,

Utah’s Own is returning to Oliver’s Place in Pleasant Grove for the second annual Spring Market on Saturday, May 9th. The 2026 market is hosting over 25 local vendors, all members of the Utah’s Own program. The event will happen from 11:00 AM until 5:00 PM, with a special visit from a Highland calf “Marshmellow” and a butterfly release outside

Join Utah’s Own and the Utah Farmers Market Network for a public virtual workshop designed to help our local farmers’ markets thrive this summer! Whether you are a market manager looking to improve operations and attendance or a vendor aiming to boost sales, this session is for you. Who: All Farmers Market Managers and Vendors When: May 19 from 12-1

The Utah Department of Agriculture & Food (UDAF) is surveying potential applicants to the Rural Health Transformation Grant Program, which will open a grant cycle in the coming months. Survey data will assist in determining the priorities of the grant across its funding cycle, which will likely be distributed over the next 5 years (2026-2031).  UDAF, through the Rural Health

In preparation for the upcoming 2026 grasshopper and Mormon cricket season, the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is working in coordination with county partners, federal agencies, and land managers to monitor populations and respond where needed.  Grasshoppers and Mormon crickets are a natural part of Utah’s landscape, but under the right environmental conditions, populations can increase rapidly and