A Case for Utah Agriculture & How the Agricultural Water Optimization Program is Helping

Breakout session Tuesday, February 11 at 4:00 p.m.

The Agricultural Water Optimization Program has two goals. First, maintain viable agriculture without increasing depletion. Second, enhance water availability and minimize impacts on water supply, water quality and the environment. This discussion will give a case for maintaining viable agriculture in Utah and how doing so can be mutually beneficial to farmers and other environmental interests.

Speaker: Hannah Freeze, Utah Department of Agriculture & Food

1. A Case for Utah Agriculture & How the Agricultural Water Optimization Program is Helping

2. For the first time in the history of our nation we are importing more agricultural products than we are exporting.

3. “Every one of us who are not farmers, are not farmers because we have farmers.” Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture

4. Why Alfalfa? Desert plant Drought tolerant “very resilient” High yield Perennial - saves on cost, carbon footprint, & air quality compared to annual crops Water efficient - high calories, protein & fiber Multiple harvests per year Controls wind & water erosion Perfectly suited to Utah’s climate Temperature variations improve forage quality, dry climate aids harvesting, heat, sunlight, salty soils Nitrogen fixing - builds soil N Established markets with local demand International reputation Natural pests are less tolerant of Utah’s climate Low risk of becoming invasive Alfalfa, globally considered the “Queen of Forages” is currently grown on about 6.8 million acres of cropland in 11 western states (AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, OR, UT, WY) each year. (USDA-NASS, 2019) Nationally alfalfa is the third most important economic crop and its production in the West alone was worth 8.5 billion dollars in 2018. It’s also a major feed source that supports milk production (13.7 billion dollars in 2018) and the several other livestock industries in the West.

5. Mission & Vision Mission: To help agricultural producers optimize their water use to create water resiliency in Utah Vision: The Agricultural Water Optimization Program improves the use of water resources and maintains viable agriculture without increasing depletions through innovative agricultural practices and the funding of new and updated infrastructure.

6. Key Program Components 50/50 cost share - 75% for subsurface drip & automated surge projects Ranking & program criteria established by Committee All applicants are required to engage in a pre-consultation with DWR to determine if potential saved water could be realized through project implementation Applications open Jan. 1 - Feb. 28, 2025 All projects require real-time measurement devices On-farm projects can request up to $500,000 Canal/Irrigation Company projects can request up to $1,000,000 - water loss study must be completed first Annual reporting required for 3 years

7. Project Highlights

8. FY25 Application Period Updates Updated ranking & program criteria Incentivising pre-project metering Irrigation management practices Updated location priorities Colorado River Basin GSL Basin Groundwater management areas 30M funding opportunity

9. Water Opt Program Highlights 542 projects funded 889,000 acres impacted $114,000,000 dollars obligated $45,000,000 paid out on projects to date 122 complete projects

10. Looking Forward More annual reporting is taking place Improved irrigation systems increase system wide resiliency Recognize all the other values the agricultural water optimization program provides

11. THANK YOU Hannah Freeze [email protected] (435) 764 - 6258