“What Does Agriculture in the Mountainland Region Look Like?”

By Cory Stahle, Regional Economist

In 1791, President George Washington began correspondence with Arthur Young, an Englishman who desired to understand what agriculture in America looked like. In an attempt to address his questions, Washington administered a farm survey and computed the results for the populated East Coast. Supported by his findings, the President sent a series of letters to Young addressing issues of crop yields, livestock, labor cost, and labor productivity.

Washington’s survey provided a basis for agricultural measurement that continued for decades until 1840, when the first comprehensive Census of Agriculture was administered. Originally conducted as a part of the decennial population census, the Census of Agriculture eventually evolved to operate and release census data every five years, and does so to this day. Despite the variance in methodology and collection of agricultural data since Washington’s day, the fundamental question he sought to answer is still relevant.

In the spirit of Arthur Young, we may then ask the question, “What does the agricultural economy in the Mountainland Region look like?”

The most recent Census of Agriculture, which utilizes data from 2012, illustrates the agricultural economy in the region. Beyond the scope of crop and livestock production, the Census of Agriculture contains massive amounts of data, ranging from internet access on farms to the number of pickup trucks used for agricultural purposes. A distillation of highlights from this census follows:

Mapleton Couple Wins Utah Farm Award

Jake and Sara Harward of Mapleton and Kelby and Kathie Iverson of Hurricane are winners of the Utah Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher Excellence in Agriculture awards.

The Harwards’ came out on top in a competition that recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their operations and developed leadership abilities. Contestants were evaluated on farming operation growth, financial progress and participation in organizations, including the Farm Bureau.

Jake and Sara Harward began managing ten roadside stands selling sweet corn in 2001 and since have expanded to 31 stands. They also expanded by growing tomatoes, watermelons and cantaloupes.

In 2005, they started growing pumpkins to sell to grocery stores throughout the western United States. They also opened a U-pick pumpkin patch, and have added a petting zoo, corn pile, straw maze and hay rides.
Both couples will compete at the American Farm Bureau annual convention against award winners from across the nation.

The Iversons and their four children own and operate Western Legacy Farm and Ranch, which boards horses, offers riding lessons and sponsors a summer kids camp, Easter egg hunts, cattle drivers and other agricultural activities.

The Utah Farm Bureau claims more than 28,800 families as members. It is affiliated with the American Farm Bureau Federation, the world’s largest general farm organization, with more than 6.2 million members in 50 states and Puerto Rico. Salt Lake Tribune

Continued Drought Could End Farming Tradition

Lee Ray Sorensen once told his sons Mark and Neil that the groundwater ditch that ran alongside their hay and cattle farm would always have enough water to feed their fields. The brothers can now stick half of the length of their arms into cracks between the dried mud where that water used to be. With all of Utah’s 29 counties now declared drought disaster areas, the Sorensen brothers near Spring City in northern Sanpete County are not the only farmers who have seen this season’s hopes dry up and become dusty before their eyes.

Since October 2011, only 17.2 inches of rain has fallen on northern Sanpete County, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That is just over half of the previous water year's 32.5 inches.

While many farmers throughout the state, including Utah County farmers, have been able to fall back on water storage and reservoirs, the farmers in the Sanpete Valley have little to no water storage to draw from for their crops and livestock. The natural springs and runoff from the mountains that usually supply the region fell short this year after last winter's lessened contribution in spring snow melt. Daily Herald

The World's Foremost Sheepdog Trial

About 300 wild sheep from the Cache National Forest are unloaded Wednesday at Soldier Hollow Olympic Venue before the start of the Soldier Hollow Classic, which runs Friday through Monday and features the world’s best border collies and their handlers in competition in front of thousands of spectators in Heber Valley. Salt Lake Tribune

The Soldier Hollow Classic features the world's best border collies in a competition that will fascinate and amaze you.  These canine athletes come from around the world to Soldier Hollow's spectacular Olympic hills to match wits and athletic ability with wild'n wooly Utah sheep.

In addition to the sheepdog trial championship the event features a host of activities, competitions and performances. There will be great food representing the shepherding cultures of the world and the traditional Scottish music performed throughout the event by the Salt Lake Scots.  A biathlon shooting, face painting, contests for kids, and dutch oven cooking.

For more information, click here.

Four more Utah counties declared disaster areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Wednesday declared four more counties in Utah as primary disaster areas because of damage and losses caused by drought and excessive heat, bringing the number of designated counties in the state to 20.

Utah’s remaining nine counties have been declared vulnerable because of their close proximity to primary disaster areas. All qualify for emergency government loans.

The additional disaster areas in Utah are Garfield, Kane, Wasatch and Wayne counties. They are among 39 additional counties in eight states declared as primary natural disaster areas. Salt Lake Tribune

Farmers Market Prepares for Opening

Scott IwasakiCanyons will continue to host the Park City Farmers Market for at least another three years. Volker Ritzinger said he and Canyons agreed to keep the annual market, which will open on Wednesday, June 6, in the resort's cabriolet parking lot. "Our initial contract ended last year, but they wanted us to come back this year," Ritzinger said. "That's good because the market has a lot to offer." This year's setup will feature more than 80 vendors from around Utah, he said.

He also said, thanks to the warmer spring a variety of produce will be available opening day. "Usually, we have to wait two or three weeks before the farmers have enough fruits and vegetables to sell," Ritzinger said. "But this year, we'll have more than we've had in the past." Park Record

County approves agriculture designation in proposed delta area

The Utah County commission approved a motion on Tuesday to designate land located where the Provo River Delta is to be built as agricultural protected.

The designation gives landowners in the area a portion of protection from having the federal government force itself onto the land to build the delta and leaving the landowners unsatisfied with their compensation for the project.

The delta is being proposed to protect a species of fish known as the June sucker. The fish is listed as an endangered species and is found only in Utah Lake. Those in favor of the delta argue that the recovery of the June sucker will reduce risk to water supply reliability and result in an improved ecosystem for Utah Lake and the Provo River. Daily Herald