Preserving Agriculture Land: The LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund

The Agriculture Voluntary Incentive Program, or commonly referred to as the Ag VIP program, is an important program that helps farmers and ranchers create nutrient management plans to help them better utilize these nutrients, while also protecting the safety of our natural resources, such as water sources. 

Join Conservation Division Director, Jim Bowcutt, and the Ag VIP program manager, Katie Slebodnik as they teach us about this program, how it helps farmers and the environment, and how to participate in the program. 

Ag VIP Program Page

Pollinators play a vital role in our environment and agriculture production, which is why it is important to protect them. In this Bonus episode, learn more about the pollinator program and how it helps create habitats for these important insects throughout the state of Utah from UDAF conservation director, Jim Bowcutt and Mindy Wheeler with USU, who helps run the program. 

 Learn more about the Pollinator Habitat Program

What are Hemp Cannabinoid products and how do they differ from Medical Cannabis products? Join us on this episode of Ag Talk as we discuss hemp cannabinoid products, what they are, how they are regulated, and what products are available for use in Utah. 

Returning guests on this episode are Dr. Brandon Forsyth, Director of Medical Cannabis and Hemp, and Cody James, Deputy Director of Medical Cannabis and Hemp. 

More information on Hemp Cannabinoid Products

If you are interested in having Brandon and Cody see your hemp facility and would like to contact them, email agriculture@utah.gov

The 2nd Biannual Soil Health in the West Conference will be held February 6-8, 2024 in St. George Utah. Tune into this bonus episode to learn more about this conference and the important information farmers and ranchers can learn from soil health experts. 

Episode guests: Tony Richards, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food Soil Health Program Manager, & Braden McMurdie, member of the Utah Soil Health Committee. 

Learn more about the Soil Health in the West Conference

The Utah Legislative session is here! As one of the busiest times of the year for the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food starts, this legislative preview episode gives listeners an inside look of the department's role during the legislative session, what bills the department is watching, and how the legislative process works. 

Guests on this episode are Commissioner Craig Buttars, Deputy Commissioner Kelly Pehrson, and Director of Legislative and Government Affairs, Amber Brown. 

Utah Legislature Website

For years, Utah's prime agricultural lands have been disapearing. This is detramental not only to our local food security and agricultural industry, but also disheartening to those who have farmed and cared for those lands for many generations. 

The LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund was created to help preserve agriculture land in Utah by creating conservation easements that allow farming families to keep in business, while preserving the beautiful open space that so many love and enjoy in Utah. 

Join Jim Bowcutt and Jeremy Christensen in this episode to learn more about the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch fund, how it is helping Utah, and how you can be involved. 

Learn more at ag.utah.gov/leray-mcallister-working-farm-and-ranch-fund/ 

The predator control program at the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food works to prevent livestock depredation by providing mitigation and population control of Utah's predators. In this episode, hear from UDAF's Animal Industry Director, Leann Hunting, and the Predator Control program manager, Cole Selman, on how they help Utah's agriculture community by managing the population of coyotes, mountain lions and more. 

More Information

What do you know about Utah's Medical Cannabis program? Being one of Utah's newer programs, there is a lot that my be unknown. On this episode, we will be joined by UDAF's director of medical cannabis, Dr. Brandon Forsyth and the medical cannabis program manager, Cody James to help us better understand the purpose of the program and the role that the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food plays in the regulation of cultivators and distributors. 

With the holiday season quickly approaching, it is important for Utah's citizens to understand the regulations around Christmas Tree and firewood importation. 

In the short and sweet episode, we will learn from UDAF Plant Industry Division Director, Rob Hougaard and State Entomologist, Kris Watson to discuss why there are regulation on the importation of firewood and Christmas trees and what consumers should be aware of. 

Episode Resources: 

Don't Move Firewood

Utah Insect and Pest Program

Utah Nursery Program

Nation-wide, farmers and ranchers are two times more likely to die by suicide than other demographic. This can be brought on by day to day stresses of farming and ranching, dealing with an unpridictable mother nature, crop or animal loss, strenuous work schedules, financial stresses, and the preasure of keeping multi-generational farms in operation for future generations. 

For this reason, Utah State University Extension along with the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food have partnered to bring Utah's agricultural and rural communities the Agriculture Stress Assistance Program. Tune into this episode to learn more about the program and how it is helping Utahn's or how it could help you and your family. 

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health and are in need of assistance, please utilize the resources linked below to help you on your mental wellness journey. If you or a loved one is struggling with thoughts of self harm, please call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988. 

https://ag.utah.gov/asap/

https://extension.usu.edu/agwellness/