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Comparison Of Private And Public Lab Fertilizer Recommendation Impacts On Field Crop Production And Soil Test Results, Megan Baker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Fall 2023 to Present

There are many sources that farmers utilize to determine fertilizer needs for crops such as private and public labs, crop advisors, and fertilizer dealers. In many cases, these sources provide recommendations for a specific crop that can vary greatly, which can lead to large differences in cost. An experiment was established in 2021 with 12 sites across the state of Utah in alfalfa, small grains, and corn to test and compare fertilizer recommendations from five labs. The recommendations tested were from two public labs (Utah State University and the University of Idaho) and three commercial labs located in the Western …

Practical Improvements For Pivot And Surface Irrigation, Jonathan A. Holt

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Irrigation is critical to meeting global food and fiber demands. Optimizing agricultural irrigation may help sustain production levels, while reducing its demand for water. This research evaluated precision sprinklers and drip irrigation for pivots, five pivot track mitigation tools, three scientific irrigation scheduling (SIS) methods, sensors for surface irrigation cutoff, and automating surface systems to implement surge irrigation. With pivots and surface irrigation being the most common methods for irrigation in the West, small improvements from these tools could result in significant water savings.

Low energy precision application (LEPA) sprinklers and mobile drip irrigation (MDI) were tested on two pivots. …

Student Perceptions Of Male And Female Instructors In A Post-Secondary Welding Course, S. Kjersti R. Decker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Agricultural mechanics and welding have traditionally been perceived to be careers reserved for males, yet more females have entered professions using welding such as agricultural education. This research was developed because of the lack of gender research in welding. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ perceptions of learning from a male instructor versus a female instructor in a post-secondary welding course. We examined associations and differences between students’ preference of a male and a female welding instructor as well as individual self-efficacy and perceptions towards using welding technology. The population for this study was undergraduate students and …

Demonstration Farm Provides Educational Opportunity For Ipm, Nick Volesky, Mair Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The mission of USU Extension’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program is to increase the use of sustainable pest management practices within urban and rural landscapes to provide economic, human, and environmental health in Utah. In the spring of 2022, the IPM program established a vegetable farm to test and demonstrate IPM practices. The farm served as an experiential learning classroom for almost 50 farmers and home gardeners.

Helping Utah Landowners Reduce Pesticide Use Through A Statewide Ipm Program, Nick Volesky, Mair Murray

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The Utah Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program provides outreach and education to Utahns to reduce pesticide use and ultimately protect human and environmental health. In 2022, the IPM program responded to stakeholders’ needs by partnering with county Extension offices to deliver eight (8) in-person workshops across the state. The workshops connected Extension specialists and county faculty with managers of home landscapes and farms. The objective of the workshops was to provide participants with IPM skills to identify, monitor, and manage pest problems in preparation for the upcoming growing season.

Understanding The Decline In Successful Cattle Pregnancies, Andre Tu Nguyen

Research on Capitol Hill

USU junior Andre, a local Loganer, studies computer science and biology.He has been working in an animal science lab. Over time, we have seen a decline in successful dairy cattle pregnancies. This is a huge cause for concern for Utah, with milk sales at an estimated value of $405 million in 2020. Andre’s work has been in studying a certain protein in pregnant cattle; now that he has determined there is a decrease in this protein over the course of the pregnancy, he hopes to see whether that might impact its viability. Andre got involved in research in a high …

25 Rules Of Thumb For Field Crops, Matt Yost, Niel Allen, Grant Cardon, Earl Creech, Ryan Larsen, Rhonda Miller, Mark Nelson, Claudia Nischwitz, Matthew Palmer, Steven Price, Ricardo Ramirez, Corey Ransom, Benjamin Scow, Randall Violett

All Current Publications

This article is not a comprehensive list of the practices farmers need to be successful in their operations, but it represents an attempt to capture 25 common tips or “rules” from a wide range of Extension experts throughout Utah, from seedbed preparation, to harvesting guidelines.

Farmers Feeding Utah: Increasing Healthy Food Access And Supporting Local Agriculture, Heidi Leblanc, Casey Coombs

Outcomes and Impact Quarterly

The need for food assistance increased by 300% among Utah families as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Farmers and ranchers were also adversely impacted by market losses and processing shortages. In response, Farmers Feeding Utah was developed to facilitate access to fresh agricultural produce for families in need.

Community Supported Agriculture: Accepting Snap Payments, Kelsey Hall, Roslynn Mccann

All Current Publications

Participating in a community supported agriculture (CSA) share is one way for individuals with low income to use their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in buying local, seasonal fruits and vegetables. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (USDA FNS) authorizes businesses to accept SNAP benefits, including direct marketing farmers and nonprofit food buying cooperatives operating a CSA. SNAP is the largest federal nutrition assistance program, formerly known as food stamps. Eligible individuals and families use an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, similar to a debit card, to purchase eligible food at SNAP authorized vendors. In Utah, …

Size And Scope Of Utah County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Dean Miner

All Current Publications

Utah County is located in the middle of the state. The county seat and largest city is Provo. As of 2018, the population of the county was estimated at 622,213. The Wasatch Mountain Range is in the eastern portion of the county. The elevation drops quickly from the mountains in the east to the Utah Lake valley in the center of the county. This fact sheet reviews land ownership, crop and livestock production, and farm income and age of operators.

Aphid Natural Enemies And Biological Control, Ron Patterson, Ricardo Ramirez

All Current Publications

This fact sheet lists common arthropods of Utah that eat aphids. It will help identify those arthropods and will describe management practices that aid in their success. Many of these predators will eat other plant damaging insects in addition to aphids.

Movement Behavior Of Radio-Tagged European Starlings In Urban, Rural, And Exurban Landscapes, Page E. Klug, H. Jeffrey Homan

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Since their intentional introduction into the United States in the 1800s, European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) have become the fourth most common bird species and a nuisance bird pest in both urban and rural areas. Managers require better information about starling movement and habit-use patterns to effectively manage starling populations and the damage they cause. Thus, we revisited 6 radio-telemetry studies conducted during fall or winter between 2005 and 2010 to compare starling movements (n = 63 birds) and habitat use in 3 landscapes. Switching of roosting and foraging sites in habitat-sparse rural landscapes caused daytime (0900–1500 hours) …

Size And Scope Of Grand County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Michael Johnson

All Current Publications

Grand County is located in the center of the state along the eastern border with Colorado. As of 2017, the population was estimated at 9,674. Other surrounding Utah counties include Uintah, Carbon, Emery, Wayne, and San Juan. This fact sheet reviews information about land ownership, growing season, crop and livestock production, irrigation, farm income, and the average age of operator of Grand County agriculture in Utah.

Size And Scope Of Washington County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Ben Scow

All Current Publications

Washington County, named for the first president of the United States, George Washington, is located in the southwest corner of Utah. It is bordered by Nevada on the west and Arizona on the south. Other surrounding Utah counties include Iron and Kane. In 2017, the population was estimated at 165,662. Much of the terrain is rough and arid with little area conducive to agriculture. This fact sheet reviews the land ownership, growing season, crop, fruit and livestock production, irrigation, and farm income and age of operator information for Washington County, Utah agriculture.

Size And Scope Of Tooele County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Linden Greenhalgh

All Current Publications

Tooele County is in northwestern Utah. It borders Nevada. Other surrounding Utah counties include Box Elder, Weber, Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, and Juab. As of 2017, the population of Tooele County was estimated at 67,456. The Great Salt Lake Desert covers much of the western portion of the county while the eastern portion contains many small towns outside of Salt Lake City. Tooele County is the second-largest county in Utah. This fact sheet reviews the land ownership, growing season, crop and livestock production, and farm income and age of farm operators in Tooele County.

Distribution And Activity Patterns Of Large Carnivores And Their Implications For Human–Carnivore Conflict Management In Namibia, Summer Fink, Richard Chandler, Michael Chamberlain, Steven Castleberry, Shannon Glosenger-Thrasher

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Human–wildlife conflicts (HWCs) are increasing globally and contributing to the decline of wildlife species. In sub-Saharan African countries such as Namibia, most of the suitable land has been or is currently being converted to crop and livestock production to support income or subsistence agriculture. These changes in land use often incur increased levels of HWCs because of crop and livestock depredation by native species. To quantify livestock predation risks posed by carnivores in Namibia, we deployed 30 trail cameras on a 6,500-ha farm in the Khomas region of Namibia from May to July 2018. We developed occupancy models to make …

Nitrogen Fertilizer Guide For First-Year Small Grains Following Alfalfa, Matt Yost, Collin Pound, Earl Creech, Grant Cardon, Jody Gale, Michael Pace, Boyd Kitchen, Steve Price, Kevin Heaton, Mark Nelson, Trent Wilde, Katie Russell

All Current Publications

Nitrogen (N) fertilizer is one of the most expensive crop inputs. It is an essential nutrient for most crops and often increases yield more than any other nutrient. Small grains are no exception. Alfalfa is the dominant crop in Utah in terms of area and gross sales, and as a nitrogen-fixing legume, it does not require nitrogen fertilizer. When terminated, alfalfa usually leaves a lot of nitrogen in the soil for subsequent crops. The amount of nitrogen that it supplies to following crops has been termed the “alfalfa N credit.” In many cases, this credit can be up to 300 …

Restoring Lake Urmia: Moving Beyond A Uniform Lake Level (2-Page Summary), Somayeh Sima, Dory Rosenberg, Wayne A. Wurtsbaugh, Sarah E. Null, Karin M. Kettenring

Watershed Sciences Faculty Publications

More than 5 million people live near Lake Urmia in northwestern Iran, one of the world's largest hypersaline lakes. Over the past two decades, the lake has lost 95% of its volume, lake level has dropped more than 7 m, and lake restoration has gained widespread interest. The government seeks a uniform "ecological" target lake level of 1274.1 m above sea level to lower salinity below 240 gL^-1 and recover brine shrimp (Artemia spp.) and flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus).

We have synthesized over 40 years of available data, defined 8 ecosystem services for human health, water quality, ecology, recreation, and …

Velvet Longhorned Beetle (Trichoferus Campestris (Faldermann), Taryn M. Rodman, Lori R. Spears, Diane G. Alston, Cami Cannon, Kristopher Watson, Joey Caputo

All Current Publications

The velvet longhorned beetle is an invasive wood-boring pest that is native to Asia and Russia. It infests fruit, forest, and ornamental trees, as well as green and dry wood, such as timber and lumber. This fact sheet provides a description, and information on life history, plant hosts, injury symptoms, monitoring, and management.

Size And Scope Of Uintah County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Boyd Kitchen

All Current Publications

Uintah County is part of the Colorado Plateau on the eastern border of Utah. It is in the Uintah Basin in the northeastern part of the state and borders Colorado. Other surrounding Utah counties include Daggett, Duchesne, Carbon, Emery, and Grand. Much of the economy in the county is based on natural resources, such as natural gas and oil production. Agricultural production is also very important in the county’s economy. This fact sheet examines the land ownership, crop and livestock production, climate, growing season, and farm income in Uintah County.

Size And Scope Of Juab County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Ruger Carter

All Current Publications

Juab County is located in the western central part of Utah. It shares its western border with Nevada. Other surrounding Utah counties include Tooele, Utah, Sanpete, and Millard. Its primary economic base comes from agriculture, manufacturing, mining, recreation, and electrical power. As of 2017, the population was estimated at 11,250. This fact sheet provides information on land use and ownership, growing season, crop and livestock production, and age and income of farm operators in Juab County.

Honeydew And Other Winter Melons In The Garden, Dan Drost

All Current Publications

This fact sheet describer winter melons, including varieties, how to grow, problems, nutrition, and storage.

Size And Scope Of Daggett County Agriculture 2020, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Boyd Kitchen

All Current Publications

Daggett County is located along the eastern top border of Utah. To the north, Daggett County is bordered by Wyoming while Colorado shares its border to the east. Other surrounding Utah counties include Uintah, Duchesne, and Summit. In the 19th century, the area was a favorite for mountain men, fur trappers, and traders. Ranching and farming have always played an important role in Daggett County. Its primary economic base today comes from tourism and recreation. The population was estimated at 1,029 in 2017. This fact sheet provides details on the land ownership, growing season, crop and livestock production, and farm …

Size And Scope Of Iron County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Larsen, Ryan Feuz, Mark Nelson, Chad Reid

All Current Publications

Iron County is located in the southwestern portion of the state and is bordered by Nevada on the west. Other surrounding Utah counties include Beaver, Garfield, Kane, and Washington. As of 2017, the population was estimated at 51,001. The county seat is Parowan, while the largest city is Cedar City. This fact sheet details the land ownership, growing season, crop and livestock production, and farm income of Iron County agriculture.

Size And Scope Of Millard County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Mark Nelson

All Current Publications

Millard County borders Nevada on the west. It is in the center of the western border of Utah. Surrounding Utah counties include Juab, Sanpete, Sevier, and Beaver. The population was estimated at 12,863 in 2017. The county has a total area of 6,828 square miles, making it the third largest county in Utah. The Sevier desert covers much of the county with the Pahvant Mountains forming the eastern county boundary. This fact sheet reviews the irrigation, crop and livestock production, land ownership, growing season, and farm income of Millard County agriculture.

Size And Scope Of Piute County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Trent Wilde

All Current Publications

Piute County is located in the south-central part of Utah. The county seat is Junction and the largest city is Circleville. Other surrounding Utah counties include Sevier, Wayne, Garfield, Iron, and Beaver. In 2017, the population was estimated at 1,420, making it the second least populated county in Utah. This fact sheet provides details on the land ownership, growing season, crop and livestock production, and farm income of Piute County agriculture.

Size And Scope Of Rich County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Dallen Smith

All Current Publications

Rich County is located in the northeast corner of Utah. The county contains roughly half of Bear Lake and is bordered by Idaho on the north and Wyoming on the east. Other surrounding Utah counties include Summit, Morgan, Weber, and Cache. In 2017, the population was estimated at 2,391. The largest town is Garden City, primarily supported by the tourism industry surrounding Bear Lake. The county seat is Randolph. This fact sheet provides details on the land ownership, growing season, livestock production, farm income, and age of operator for Rich County.

Size And Scope Of Carbon County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Steven Price

All Current Publications

Carbon County is located south of Duchesne and Wasatch counties in east-central Utah. Along with Emery County to the south, it is often referred to as Utah’s Castle Country. The county became industrialized very early after statehood with the arrival of the railroads and discovery of many coal beds for which the county is named. It is also a large producer of natural gas within the state. Its primary economic base today comes from regional services, retail, tourism, recreation and resource extraction. As of 2017, the population was estimated at 20,295. Price is the largest city and county seat. This …

Size And Scope Of Weber County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Larsen, Ryan Feuz, Cody Zesiger

All Current Publications

Weber County is located in the northern part of the state and borders the Great Salt Lake. The growing season averages over 4 months, and this guide provides locations of the first and last freeze and the annual precipitation. The majority of the land is privately owned. This fact sheet explores the size and scope of agriculture in Weber County in 2019.

Size And Scope Of Kane County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Larsen, Ryan Feuz, Kevin Heaton

All Current Publications

Kane County is located on the southern border of Utah. It borders Arizona on the south. Other surrounding Utah counties include Washington, Iron, Garfield, and San Juan. The economy consists of tourism, services, and agriculture. Some points of interest in Kane County are Lake Powell along the eastern border, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. As of 2017, the population was estimated at 7,567. This fact sheet details the growing season, farm income, and crop and livestock production of Kane County.