Agriculture

Agriculture became an integral endeavor of the counties in southeast Utah as pioneers settled in the area. Agriculture was not new to the western United States, but the intensity and scale of crop production significantly increased the demand created by the pioneer settlers. Crops including fruits and vegetables but primarily grains are all grown in Utah’s soils. Feed crops intended for livestock make up much of the state’s production. Additionally, many materials used for technological purposes are derived from crops, such as building materials and medical supplies.

In 2011 an agriculture sustainability task force was established to address increased pressure on Utah agriculture from urban development, changing demographics, economic pressures, as well as a number of other issues in order to assist policy makers and citizens in understanding agriculture’s critical role in promoting Utah’s security, economy, society, culture, and wellbeing. The policy statement of the task force was as follows: “Prime, important and unique agricultural lands and soils are vital to sustain life. The protection of prime agricultural lands should be given the same consideration as other lands by federal agencies, the State of Utah, and its political subdivisions. It is important these lands be conserved for our food security needs.” The task force report addressed grazing and public land; confined animal production agriculture; grains, specialty row crops, fruits, and vegetables; and food security–urban interface. This effort resulted in a number of proposed actions for the State, Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, and local and federal governments along with a call to action [1].

The 2015 Annual Report [2] by the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food states that, “Nearly 95 percent of Utahns believe farming and ranching are important to the future of the state.” The preservation of agricultural lands and resources is seen by many to provide tangible value to the state and/or intrinsic character to the lifestyle of its communities. This same report indicates that in 2014 there were 18,100 farms on 11,000,000 acres in Utah.
The Soil Survey data along with this key to Soil Orders can be used to identify areas of the county with soil suitable for agriculture.

The number of farms in Carbon, Emery, Grand, and San Juan counties and the acres of land occupied by farming activities has varied in the past (see table below). Every 5 years, the US Department of Agriculture releases a census report on agriculture from those counties [3] [4] [5]. The number of farms has increased considerably since 2002, though the average size of the farms has decreased. This trend suggests that agriculture may be increasing in importance for individuals living in the area. As of 2012, the total number of farms was 1,733 and included approximately 2,005,782 acres (the number of acres farmed expected to be higher if information from Grand County were available) [5].

When planning for agriculture-related policy and land use, a central consideration is the availability of affordable, productive land. Determining the value of agricultural land is based upon four different categories describing distinct and sometimes competing values:

• Potential Agricultural Output Value is the summation of all the characteristics that quantify the efficiency of the land for the range of appropriate agricultural uses.
• Return on Investment is the profitability of the land to the farmer or rancher.
• Purchase Value of the land is the sale price of the land at market value.
• Intrinsic Value perceived by the community is the non-quantifiable value of the land, the preservation of which is often pursued by local jurisdictions or various interest groups.

Maintaining viable and productive agricultural operations in Carbon, Emery, Grand, and San Juan counties is a challenge because of a number of factors. County-wide assessments prepared by the Utah Association of Conservation Districts identify water availability as a limiting factor in each of these counties [6] [7] [8] [9].  The Annual Precipitation data can be used to identify the dryer and wetter areas of a county. Agricultural land that uses water for irrigation can be identified from the Water-Related Landuse data, the Canals data and the Flowline (ditches and canals) data.

Factors affecting agricultural productivity include:

• Water supply and quality
• Lack of protection and vision for arable lands
• Urban development
  • Displacement or fragmentation of farms
  • Reallocation of irrigation water
  • Changes in roadways and circulation routes needed to transport agricultural products
  • Acceptability of agriculture activity in the urban interface
• Loss of productivity to invasive species and weeds
• Plant and animal disease
• Soil quality
• Air quality
• Regulations on resources may also impact agriculture productivity

Utah State University Extension offers eight agricultural BMPs[10]:

1. Conservation Tillage is the practice of leaving harvested plant materials on the soil surface to reduce runoff and soil erosion.
2. Crop Nutrient Management is managing all nutrient inputs helps ensure that nutrients are available to meet crop needs while reducing nutrient runoff.
3. Pest Management is using various methods for managing pests while protecting soil, water, and air quality.
4. Conservation Buffers are vegetation strips that provide additional barriers of protection and prevent potential pollutants from running off into surface waters.
5. Irrigation Management involves increasing irrigation efficiency to reduce nonpoint source pollution of ground and surface waters.
6. Grazing Management is managing livestock grazing to reduce water quality impacts (e.g., reduce erosion potential).
7. Animal Feeding Operations Management is using runoff control, proper waste storage, and nutrient management to minimize the impacts of animal feeding operations.
8. Erosion and Sediment Control is the practice of conserving and reducing the amount of sediment reaching waterbodies, which protects overall agricultural land and water quality.

Utah State University Extension also provides information in the form of checklists regarding nutrient management and land management. Some overlap exists between the agricultural BMPs and the additional information.

The NRCS maintains a series of planning helps in spreadsheet format that are useful in completing projects and plans, including projects that are considered BMPs [11]. The spreadsheets include pricing estimates from 2011 (the latest available), which may be somewhat dated, but working through the spreadsheets still provides a sense of the costs of agricultural conservation measures.

In 2012, Utah Lieutenant Governor Greg Bell and Commissioner of Agriculture Leonard Blackham convened the Utah Agricultural Sustainability Task Force, which identified major issues confronting Utah agriculture and developed a list of proposed actions for state, county, local and federal governments to pursue. The issues and proposed actions are listed in the Task Force Report, Planning for Agriculture [1]. Many of the proposed actions identify programs and funding opportunities that could be leveraged to address the issues identified by the Task Force on the local level.

Although production of agricultural commodities doesn’t occur at the same magnitude here as in some other states, Utah’s agriculture contributes to the local, regional and national food security, as well as the economy.

The production agriculture and agricultural processing sectors are important elements of Utah’s economy. Production agriculture includes farming, ranching, dairy, and related support industries. Agricultural processing includes all activities associated with converting agricultural commodities into products usable to consumers.

The Total and Average Market Value data can be used to compare one county’s agricultural output with nearby counties.

Economic sectors include: jobs, income, and quality of life to both rural and urban areas within the state. In 2011 production agriculture (including the value of commodities produced and used on the operation where they were produced) accounted for 3.1% of the state economy. The effect of total employment associated with production agriculture was estimated at 21,254 jobs, and labor income was estimated at $356 million. Production agriculture, along with its associated processing sector, accounted for 14.1% of the total state economic output, employed approximately 78,000 individuals, and yielded $2.7 billion in labor income. The yearly contribution of agriculture to fiscal revenues (taxes) for state and local entities is estimated at $298 million. An additional $285 million is contributed to federal entities [12].

Agricultural production within Utah contributes both stability and diversity to the local, regional, and national economy. Utah’s Farm Income for all commodities in 2014 was almost over $2.4 billion [2]. This total can be divided into two main categories:

• Income from Livestock and Animal Products: $1,843,108,000;
• Income from Crops: $532,111,000.

The primary crops produced in Utah include wheat, feed crops (barley, corn, hay, oats), safflower, onions, and fruits (apples, apricots, cherries, peaches). The highest cash receipts in 2014 were from hay production (nearly $258 million) and wheat ($42 million). The total value of hay production was $442 million and includes both cash receipts and hay retained by the producer as feed for their own livestock. The market value of products sold in Carbon, Emery, Grand, and San Juan counties in 2012 is presented in the table below. Common crops include alfalfa, oats, wheat, corn, and watermelon. The majority of the water used for irrigation comes from reservoirs and Kens Lake. Other water sources include the Green River, Price River, and Colorado River. This information comes from Utah State’s Agricultural Profile for Grand County, Emery County, Carbon County, and San Juan County.

The disparity in efficiency caused by fragmentation, combined with increased management demands (imposed by local governments, adjacent residential land users, and other commercial land users) can reduce the economic viability of any parcel to remain in agricultural production. This scenario illustrates a common cycle that often leads agricultural land holders to sell or develop their land to offset lost income. State and local efforts to protect farmland and limit fragmentation include Agricultural Protection Areas, conservation easements, and protective/agricultural zoning [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19].

Relevant Agency Contact Information

With the ever-present need of land use planners and policy makers to be educated about agricultural issues, and the potential for conflict between various interests, there are several agencies with agricultural information and expertise that can help a county with agricultural planning.

Utah State University Extension, County Extension Agents

• Carbon County, 120 E. Main St. Courthouse, Price, UT 84501. 435-636-3233
• Emery County, 75 E. Main St. Courthouse, Room 113 P.O. Box 847 Castle Dale, UT 84513. 435-381-2381
• Grand County, 125 W. 200 S. Moab, UT 84532. 435-259-7558
• San Juan County, P.O. Box 549 Monticello, UT 84535. 435-587-3239 ext. 9

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food provides information and services related to:

• Licensing regulation and product registration
• Food safety and consumer protection
• Markets and finance
• Pesticides
• Plants and pests
• Animals
• Weights and measures
• Conservation and environmental issues

The Utah Association of Conservation Districts has created county resource assessment documents for each county, with agriculture included, that can be used for resource planning [6] [7] [8] [9]. These documents can be a starting place in identifying existing and anticipated limitations that affect livestock production sustainability, and in formulating desired future conditions.

• Carbon County Resource Assessment
• Emery County Resource Assessment
• Grand County Resource Assessment
• San Juan County Resource Assessment

SEUALG counties are located in Conservation District Zone 7. The UACD Zone 7 Coordinator is Roger Barton, roger.barton@ut.nacdnet.net, 435-381-2300×113