Digital Commons Network^™

The Role Of Producer And Operation Characteristics In Organic Production Adoption Decisions, Salma Shrity, Kynda R. Curtis

All Current Publications

Survey data were used to examine producer and farm or operation characteristics, as well as producer attitudes and concerns related to producing and selling organic products that may affect decisions to use organic production methods. This fact sheet discusses the study results related to the producer and operation characteristics that may or may not impact the adoption of organic production methods. The study findings provide valuable information for designing targeted Extension programming, educational resources, and technical assistance that address the needs of different producer groups. By understanding which producer and operation characteristics are associated with organic adoption, organizations can better …

The Organic Production Interests Of Utah's Agricultural Producers, Kynda R. Curtis, Salma Shrity, Michele Schahczenski

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of survey respondents’ demographic characteristics and farming operation details, including acreage under production, annual gross sales, primary agricultural products, and marketing channels used. It also describes respondents’ organic production experiences, including years certified, certified acreage, and the primary motivations behind adopting organic production methods. The findings presented provide valuable insights into the characteristics, experiences, and needs of Utah producers related to organic agriculture. Extension educators, agricultural service providers, policymakers, and industry organizations can use this information to develop targeted educational programs, technical resources, and support services that address producer challenges, strengthen organic production capacity, …

The Organic Educational And Resource Needs Of Utah's Agricultural Producers, Kynda R. Curtis, Salma Shrity, Michele Schahczenski

All Current Publications

The findings presented in this fact sheet identify producer priorities for educational content, resources, and support services. This information can guide the development of targeted educational and outreach programs, technical resources, and tools that address producer challenges and support informed decision-making about organic production opportunities in Utah.

Toxic Plants In Zimbabwe: The Lantana Camara Species, Frank Kapungu, Cecilia Masvingwe

Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)

Lantana camara is a major invasive plant species in Zimbabwe. Its toxic effects pose a threat to livestock production, biodiversity, and development. A survey was carried out throughout the country to investigate the distribution of L. camara in Zimbabwe and assess the extent of its spread. Identification was done by toxicologists with the support of an experienced botanist from the National Herbarium of Zimbabwe. The location of the plants was identified using a portable Garmin eTrex® 10 Handheld GPS navigation device., and the coordinates were recorded. Quantum Geographic Information System (QGIS) was used to plot the map. L. camara was …

Implementation Of The Trojan Sex Chromosome Approach In The San Juan River: Investigation And Validation Of Feminization Methods For Channel Catfish, Chad Teal

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Temporary Cattle Identification: Benefits Of Marking With Hair Bleach, Melanie Heaton, Reganne K. Briggs, Rebekah Iverson, Brooke Holgate, David Secrist

All Current Publications

Temporary identification is an important management tool for beef producers. Animals are routinely marked following breeding, pregnancy diagnosis, vaccination, treatment, sorting, shipping, and marketing so they can be quickly identified without repeated handling. Effective temporary identification improves labor efficiency, reduces animal stress, and helps ensure management decisions are applied to the correct animals. This fact sheet provides information on temporary cattle marking using hair bleach.

Aspen Health On Cedar Mountain: What Landowners Should Know, Justin Derose, Darren Mcavoy

All Current Publications

Aspen forests are among the most valuable parts of the Cedar Mountain area in southwest Utah and of Utah's landscapes. They provide wildlife habitat, improve scenery, help slow wildfire spread, and support healthy watersheds and grazing lands. Cedar Mountain’s aspen forests are changing. The landscape still supports significant aspen acreage, but many stands are aging and losing mature trees faster than they are being replaced. Researchers studied the area to assess the health of the aspen forest over many years, beginning in 2008; this fact sheet discusses the results. It also provides management considerations.

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Agenda September 21, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

3:00 pm Call to Order

Approval of Minutes - August 24, 2026

3:05 University Business

3:20 Faculty Senate Business

3:35 Report

Honors Program Annual Report

3:45 Information

EPC Report - September 3, 2026

4:00 Additional Business

Faculty Authored Course Materials Policy

Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Faculty Senate Executive Committee Minutes September 21, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - August 24, 2026
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Reports
• Honors Program Annual Report
• EPC Report
• Additional Business
• Faculty Authored Course Materials Policy
• Policy Discussions
• Policy 4001.2.12.6.2
• Adjourn: 5:05 pm

Guide To Automated Surge Irrigation In Utah, Ngoni Mufute, Matt Yost, Burdette Barker, Clay Carter, Jonathan A. Holt, Grant Cardon

All Current Publications

This guide discusses the benefits and drawbacks of automated surge irrigation and the equipment needed for setup to make it beneficial to irrigators.

Collaborative Research: Influence Of Fault Frictional Healing And Realistic Tectonic Loading Rates On Shallow Subduction Megathrust Locking, Srisharan Shreedharan

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Photochemistry At The Air-Aerosol Interface, Yi Rao

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Academic Standards Subcommittee Minutes, September 17, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Welcome and approval of March 2026 Minutes
• Topics for Discussion
• 1. Proposal to sunset the current Undergraduate Degree Enrichment Policy
• 2. Proposed change to the current Earned Admission Policy
• 3. Proposed Reduced Credit Bachelor Policy (Bachelor of Applied Science)
• Next Meeting: Thursday, October 15, 2026

Academic Standards Subcommittee Agenda, September 17, 2026, Utah State University

Educational Policies Committee

• Welcome and approval of March 2026 Minutes
• Topics
• Proposal to sunset the current Undergraduate Degree Enrichment Policy
• Proposed change to the current Earned Admission Policy (High School Applicants section)
• Proposed Reduced Credit Bachelor Policy (Bachelor of Applied Science)
• Next Meeting: Thursday, October 15, 2026

Brittle Bone Disorders Consortium Of The Rare Disease Clinical Research Network, Bettina Willie

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Exceptional Holography (2025 Renewal, Revised Budget), Oscar Varela

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Innovating Effective Engineering Designs For Hazard Risk Reduction In North Carolina, Daniella Hirschfeld

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Cedar: Investigating The Mesosphere And Lower Thermosphere Neutral Temperature And Winds Responses To Geomagnetic Storms Equatorward Of The Auroral Zone, Tao Yuan

Funded Research Records

No abstract provided.

Harvest And Retting Method Alter The Composition Of Hemp Fiber For High Performance Concrete, Abigail Lazier, Jennifer Macadam, Srishti Banerji, Bruce Bugbee

Plants, Soils and Climate Student Research

Recently, the use of natural fibers in place of polymer fibers in high performance concrete has been explored for improved mechanical properties (including reduced spalling) and greater sustainability. This project aims to recycle biomass waste produced by the medical cannabis industry by using it in concrete. We have designed and conducted multiple studies to determine efficient methods for fiber harvest and processing from our in-house medical cannabis waste. Harvest method, (including fresh harvest and defoliation or physically induced senescence), storage condition, ( 4 C or 25 C), and processing technique, (mechanical or biological) were trialed. Additionally, we used standard forage …

Impacts Of Sprouted Barley On Performance And Carcass Ultrasound Measurements In Angus-Influenced Steers During Backgrounding, Zachary C. Crump, Anthony Fernando Alberto, Bailee L. Brown, Bryce W. Roholt, Lillian L. Okamoto, Ryan A. Spurling, Robert E. Ward, Brady M. Blackett, Robert L. Harding, Sanjeewa D. Ranathunga, Kara J. Thornton

Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The objective of this research was to determine the impacts of including sprouted barley (SB) in the diets of backgrounding beef steers. Angus-influenced steers (328 ± 6.59 kg) were assigned to one of four diets (n = 15/diet): a control (CON) diet, or a diet containing 5%, 10%, or 20% SB (DM basis)—replacing corn silage and some rolled barley. Individual intake and feeding behavior were monitored using Vytelle bunks. Body weight (BW) and ruminal fluid samples were collected on d 0, 30, and 60, while dry matter intake (DMI), feeding behavior, average daily gain (ADG), and gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) were …

High Tunnel Pollinators, Miranda L. Jones, Sheriden Hansen, Kelsey Graham, Robert Nelson Schaeffer, Brent Black

All Current Publications

High tunnels are used to extend the growing season. Unlike greenhouses, high tunnels are semi-permanent and not heated or cooled by a climate-control system. Instead, they use plastic sheeting to trap solar heat, allowing for season extension in temperate climates around spring and fall. Bee pollination can improve yields for several valuable crop species grown in high tunnels. Because high tunnels are largely enclosed, bees are typically released and managed within the structure. This fact sheet provides information on how to obtain and manage bee pollinators in high tunnels.

Field Guide To Common Plant Species Of Uinta Mountain Fens, Samantha Kurkowski, Blake Wellard, Karin M. Kettenring

All Current Publications

Fens are a unique class of wetland that host many specialized plant species globally and, in Utah, occur primarily in the Uinta Mountains. This guide provides an easy-to-use resource for amateurs and professionals who want to identify plants in fens. This guide includes key characteristics for identifying species, details on similar species and how to tell them apart, and information on habitat and frequency of occurrence. Species range from wetland obligates to upland plants that occasionally make their way into fens, with the purpose of including most species that may be encountered in a fen.

Hwi 20th Volume Milestone

Human–Wildlife Interactions

Human-Wildlife Interactions is entering a milestone volume in 2026.

A Database Of Reliability-Targeted Snow Loads For The United States, Nicholas Brimhall, Cameron Swapp, Brennan Bean

Browse all Datasets

This data release provides the data and code necessary to create a database of 10,625 site-specific Reliability-Targeted Snow Loads (RTSLs) for locations in the Conterminous United States and Alaska. RTSLs are the design snow load requirements necessary to achieve the reliability targets set forth in Chapter 1 of the ASCE 7 Standard, which is the national standard that largely governs hazards-based design in the United States. The data and methods used in this data release are based upon the methods described in Bean et al. (2021), with updated data and refined methodology as applicable.

A Global Database Of Winter Wind Values, Jayden Gardner, Hannah Fluckiger, Nicholas Brimhall, Brennan Bean

Browse all Datasets

This repository contains the data and code necessary to create winter wind (W2) estimates for international locations. It is an extension of the approach outlined in Bean et al. (2025) to include additional data from European locations. Winter wind is defined as the proportion of time that the wind speed exceeds 10 mph during the months of October to April, which is used in snow load design to calculate the potential severity of drifting on a roof.

Base Maps And Other Source Files For: A Global Database Of Reliability-Targeted Snow Loads, Shaveen Britto, Nicholas Brimhall, Cameron Swapp, Brennan Bean, Jayden Gardner, Hannah Fluckiger

Browse all Datasets

The 2022 edition of ASCE 7 introduced reliability-targeted snow loads (RTSLs) for structural design. The development of design snow loads for locations outside the Conterminous United States (OCONUS) requires methods that can provide reliable estimates in regions with varying station density and climatic conditions. This repository contains the data and code used to develop and evaluate a climate-analog approach for estimating RTSLs at international locations. The climate-analog method identifies reference stations with similar climatic and geographic characteristics and uses their estimated RTSLs to predict snow loads at locations where direct observations are limited or unavailable. The methodology relies on station-level …

A Global Database Of Reliability-Targeted Snow Loads, Nicholas Brimhall, Cameron Swapp, Brennan Bean, Shaveen Britto, Jayden Gardner, Hannah Fluckiger

Browse all Datasets

This data release provides the data and code necessary to create a database of 18,809 site-specific Reliability-Targeted Snow Loads (RTSLs) for locations outside of the United States. RTSLs are the design snow load requirements necessary to achieve the reliability targets set forth in Chapter 1 of the ASCE 7 Standard, which is the national standard that largely governs hazards-based design in the United States. The intent of this release is to provide engineers seeking to use US-based design standards in international settings a database of snow load values consistent with the methodologies used to establish ground snow loads in ASCE …

Base Maps And Other Source Files For: A Database Of Reliability-Targeted Snow Loads For The United States, Nicholas Brimhall, Cameron Swapp, Brennan Bean

Browse all Datasets

This data release provides the supporting data and files to create a database of 10,625 site-specific Reliability-Targeted Snow Loads (RTSLs) for locations in the Conterminous United States and Alaska (see Brimhall et al. (2026)). RTSLs are the design snow load requirements necessary to achieve the reliability targets set forth in Chapter 1 of the ASCE 7 Standard, which is the national standard that largely governs hazards-based design in the United States. The data and methods used in this data release are based upon the methods described in Bean et al. (2021), with updated data and refined methodology as applicable.

Faculty Senate Agenda September 8, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

3:00 Call to Order

Approval of Minutes - April 27, 2026

3:05 University Business

3:20 Faculty Senate Business

3:35 Report

EPC Annual Report

Center for Empowering Teaching Excellence Annual Report

Center for Instructional Design and Innovation Annual Report

4:15 Additional Business

Adjourn: 4:30 pm

Faculty Senate Minutes, September 8, 2026, Utah State University

Faculty Senate & Faculty Senate Executive Committee

• Call to Order
• Approval of Minutes - April 27, 2026
• University Business
• Faculty Senate Business
• Reports
• EPC Annual Report
• Center for Empowering Teaching Excellence Annual Report
• Center for Instructional Design and Innovation Annual Report
• Additional Business
• Adjourn - 4:38 pm