Ag Talk with UDAF

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/

As a wrap up to our discussions about agriculture water use, Utah Commissioner of Agriculture, Craig Buttars, joins us on the show to provide us with his insights and information about agriculture water use. Commissioner Buttars has many years of experience in both agricutulre as well as public policy and share the knowlege he has with us. 

When it comes to the discussion about water conservation, much of the focus and often blame has been placed on one crop; alfalfa. Jokingly referred to as the A word, alfalfa is one of most commonly grown crops in the state of Utah and one of the most missunderstood. In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Matt Yost, Associate Department Head and Professor of Plant, Soils, and Climate at Utat State University. Dr. Yost helps us better understand alfalfa, why its grown in Utah, and whether or not it is a net benefit. 

For more information on the discussion points in this episode, refer to Ten Reasons Alfalfa is Highly Suitable For the West.

Soil health is a key component to protecting our enviroment and food supply. Agriculture water use and farming play a key role in protecting Utah's soils. Joining us on this episode is UDAF Soil Health Program Manager, Tony Richards, to help explain the importance of agriculture water use and what Utah's farmers and ranchers are doing to improve the soil health in Utah. 

For more information about the Soil Health Program, visit their website.

Understanding Utah's water rights system and laws is imperative to understanding the larger water conversation. State Water Engineer, Teresa Wilhelmsen, joins us on this episode to help educate us on water law and water rights and how that affects water distribution in Utah. 

Utah's farmers and ranchers are working hard to be part of the solution to save and protect Utah's water. Learn more about the Agricultural Water Optimization program provided by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) and how Utah's farmers and ranchers are saving water. Joining us on this episode is UDAF Conservation Division Director, Jim Bowcutt, and Agricultural Water Optimization Program Manager, Hannah Freeze. 

Agriculture water use has been a highly debated topic in Utah as well as other Western states that have been struggling with drought over the last several years. In this episode, we will take a deep dive into this topic to better understand how agriculture water use works, what the issues are surrounding the topic, and what agriculture can do to help with water savings. Joining us on this episode is Warren Peterson, former law attorney and current expert on agriculture water. Spoiler: things may not be as black and white as they have been portrayed. 

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food is excited to bring you a new podcast, AgTalk!

Do you know where your food comes from or where it’s grown? Do we understand what our fellow Utahns who work in agriculture deal with on a daily basis? Agriculture is often talked about in the media and by government officials and state leaders, but do we truly understand what is happening in this industry and the rural communities that rely on agriculture? AgTalk will explore different agricultural topics by having conversations with experts to discuss tough issues such as water use. We will also take a look at programs and resources available for Utah’s farmers and ranchers, and give our listeners an inside scoop on how their food is grown. 

Join me, Bailee Woolstenhulme, every other week to sit in on these real conversations and better understand the amazing things Utah’s farmers and ranchers are doing, new technologies that are being developed, and how the agriculture industry is making advancements in areas important to all of Utah. You won’t want to miss the first several episodes, as we will be talking with experts to take a deep dive into the issue of agriculture water use. These conversations will help the listeners get a better understanding of how agriculture water use works, what the pros and cons are, and is the issue truly as black and white as it is made out to be. Join us August 14th for the first episode of AgTalk!