Agricultural Economics Commons^™

An Overview Of The Cut Flower Industry, Makaylie Langford, Kynda R. Curtis, Melanie Stock

All Current Publications

This fact sheet provides an overview of the cut flower industry. It provides information about traditional and specialty cut flowers, comparing flowers sourced locally in Utah and internationally.

Data From: Yellow Air Day Advisory Study, Arthur J. Caplan

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Using a dataset consisting of daily vehicle trips, PM2.5 concentrations, along with a host of climactic control variables, we test the hypothesis that “yellow air day” advisories provided by the Utah Division of Air Quality resulted in subsequent reductions in vehicle trips taken during northern Utah’s winter-inversion seasons in the early 2000s. Winter inversions occur in northern Utah when climactic conditions are such that PM2.5 concentrations (derived mainly from vehicle emissions) become trapped in the lower atmosphere, leading to unhealthy air quality (concentrations of at least 35 µg/m3) over a span of what are called “red air days”. When concentrations …

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.

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

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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 Grand County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Michael Johnson

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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 Tooele County Agriculture 2019, Ryan Feuz, Ryan Larsen, Linden Greenhalgh

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

The Three Creeks Allotment Consolidation: Changing Western Federal Grazing Paradigms, Taylor Payne

Human–Wildlife Interactions

The federal government owns approximately 47% of all land in the western United States. In the state of Utah, about 64% of the land base is managed by the federal Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS). The government has historically issued permits to owners of private lands to allow the owners to graze their livestock on public lands. The permits (allotments) are generally of 10-year duration and allow for an annual season of use. In some cases, continued and repeated historical annual grazing practices may not be ideal for permit holders and their communities nor …

An Analysis Of The Feasibility Of Anaerobic Digestion On Small-Scale Dairies In Utah, Steven Chans Lund

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

With an ever increasing concern for the environment, different methods of managing organic waste on dairy farms have been explored and analyzed. Anaerobic digestion has long been a popular method of managing organic waste. Its popularity stems from the potential to decrease greenhouse gases, improve air quality and provide a source of additional revenue for the farm. Problems with implementing anaerobic digestion arise from high failure rates, high start-up costs and continuous maintenance and equipment replacement.

Subsidies for the initial investment and improved technology have increased the possibility of large-scale dairy farms to adopt anaerobic digestion. Due to economies of …

Grand County Crop Production Costs And Returns, 2013, Michael Johnson, Kynda Curtis

All Current Publications

This fact sheet is intended to be a guide used to make production decisions, determine potential returns and prepare business and marketing plans.

A Linear Programming Analysis Of Several Determinants Of Profit On A Simulated Northern Utah Dairy Farm, Jay Dee Atwood

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of the study was to analyze several determinants of profit on a simulated northern Utah dairy farm. A linear programming model was developed to accomplish this. Optimal conditions on the farm were estimated and then other model applications were made to evaluate the importance of milk price, cropland ownership, and corn silage production and feeding. The significance of cow quality also was estimated.

Optimal conditions on the farm gave rates of return to capital between savings rates and loan rates obtainable at a financial institution. Marginal values derived for land did not support the current asking price of …

An Economic Analysis Of Farm Flock Sheep Production In Utah, Ken Beck

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the economic aspects of farm flock sheep production in Utah. Using 1979 as a base year, costs and returns were calculated from data obtained from twenty- six Utah farms. Characteristics that typify the states· farm flock sheep production, at this writing, with regard to: 1) the farm flock producers and 2) the farm flock enterprise, were presented.

Various models were dev eloped and examined using Multiple Regression and Linear Programming analytical techniques. Multiple Regression was us ed to estimate the effects that different variables had on the profitability of the sheep enterprise. …

The Economic Impact Of Potential Changes In Federal Grazing Policies On Ranchers In Wayne County, Utah, Kib Elden Jacobson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to select an area in Utah that was predominantly livestock oriented which used federal lands for livestock grazing, and to develop model ranches exemplifying the typical live-stock operation in the area. These model ranches were then used in a Budget Generator Program (BG) and a Linear Programming framework (LP) to simulate reductions of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% reductions of BLM land usage. The results were then used to determine income changes, herd size changes, and resource usage in the models as the reductions took place.

The area chosen was Wayne County, Utah because …

Economic Impacts Of Public Grazing Reductions In The Livestock Industry With Emphasis On Utah, Deevon Bailey

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this paper was to determine the immediate impact of reductions in public grazing on livestock production in the United States. This was accomplished by the use of linear programming techniques. Different grazing reduction simulations were utilized to determine the short and long run effects of across-the-board reductions in public grazing.

The United States was divided into 13 regions. The 11 western states were considered as individual regions. Special emphasis was placed on the effects of grazing reduction on Utah. The availability and utilization of feed and livestock products during a "normal year", 1978, were considered in this …

Job Competencies, Employment Demands, And Perceived Training Needs In Production Agriculture In Utah, James O. Summers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

This study was limited to 165 farmers involved in various segments of production agriculture in the state of Utah. County agents and vocational agriculture teachers in each county nominated these farmers as candidates according to their respective farming operations.

The following six defined areas of production agriculture were used as selection criteria to insure equal input in the study: Beef, Dairy, Swine, Sheep, Poultry, and Crops. All farmers were surveyed by means of persona l interviews conducted by either county agents or vocational agriculture instructors in their respective counties. The surveying instrument used was developed through a thorough review of …

Interregional Competition In Markets Facing Utah Livestock And Poultry Producers, Terrell O. Sorensen

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this thesis is to make an evaluation of the competitive position of the Utah livestock industry based on feed ingredient and transportation costs, This is done by the use of a linear programming model (MPS-360). This is on the basis of the least cost means of production to meet the quantity demanded of the livestock products. This is accomplished by dividing the United States into six regions where Utah is one of these regions to enable careful consideration of Utah's agricultural enterprises.

Beef, pork, broilers, turkeys, eggs, and milk are the agricultural products used in the model. …

An Analysis Of Farm Land Use Changes Related To Inheritance Taxes, Estate Planning, And Sale For Retirement In Selected Utah Counties During 1971-1975, Randall Nolan Parker

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Because of increasing rural land values, potential estate problems have been created for farm owners. This study was conducted to analyze land use changes when the farm owner dies. Land use changes and factors related to use change for estates subjected to probate court during 1971-1975, in the selected Utah counties, are described in this thesis.

County records were searched for information pertaining to farm estates probaged in six Utah counties. Individuals handling the affairs of the estates were contacted by mail. Questionnaires returned were used in the analysis and are the basis for the conclusions of this study.

General …

An Economic Analysis Of Sprinkling For Bloom Delay And Freeze Protection Of Apples In Farmington, Utah, Jay Val Anderson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The major purpose of this study is to analyze the economic feasibility of bloom delay by sprinkling as a means of protecting delicious apples from frost. The framework of this study is based on decision making theory under uncertainty. It demonstrates the usefulness of the Bayesian approach to determine optimum action to take in face of uncertain climatic conditions. The economic analysis was conducted for Farmington, Utah, where significant relationships were found between the end of winter rest (end of chill-unit accumulation) and time of full bloom of red delicious apples.

A posteriori probabilities for the state of nature were …

Consumer Profile Differences Among Utah And Idaho Boaters, Thomas D. Singleton

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the consumer characteristics of boaters in Utah and Idaho. This has entailed a descriptive analysis of boater's socio-economic profiles, facilities and equipment, preferences and attitudes, and activity patterns.

Concomitantly a test of the hypothesis that boating is not a homogenous recreational activity was attempted. Two statistical analyses were carried out. The first test was to determine whether the profiles of boaters having different activity specialities differed. This was accomplished by finding the means of selected boater characteristics (i.e., income, children, length of boat) for each boating speciality. The L.S.D. multiple …

Economics Of Land Use Planning: A Case Study Of Annexation In Heber Valley, Utah, Lyle C. Summers

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Some theories and methodologies applicable to land use planning problems were reviewed along with the history of land use and land use legislation in the United States and Utah. This review served to point out that federal land use policy is moving away from the incentive approach to controlling land use and toward a more mandatory approach aimed at giving increased emphasis to environmental quality and less to economic efficiency.

A model for conceptualizing and analyzing annexation problems was developed and applied to a problem in Heber City, Wasatch County, Utah. The analysis demonstrated that annexation is feasible by showing …

Investigation Of Factors Contributing To The Declining Range Sheep Industry In Utah, Jerry W. Boehme

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The purpose of this paper is to document the major reasons sheep producers are liquidating their business, and to provide some insight into the present use of land and labor resources taken out of sheep production, Data compiled for the study were obtained from personnel interviews of former sheep producers statistically selected from a master list of all producers who stopped sheep production from 1968 to June 1974. The general characteristics of Utah sheep ranches were presented followed by an analysis of producers who, and the reasons why, they sold their herds, The last section of the report documents the …

Economics Of Land Use Planning--Utah Recreational Subdivisions, 1962-72, Donald William (Sandy) Mac Pherson

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Economic and environmental inventory and evaluation were made of Utah recreational subdivisions filed with the state from 1962 through 1972. Major data were collected from standard subdivision questionnaires, filed by developers with Utah Real Estate Division, Department of Business Regulation. Study included 62,716 lots, 238,004 acres, and a value, in terms of developers' projected gross sales, of $211,836,550 in 1972 dollars.

Description of Utah recreational urbanization included: community services such as water supply and sanitation, drainage and flooding, fire protection, roads, and schools; developer sales inducements, improvement costs, and selling costs; subdivision layout characteristics, locations, magnitude, value, and buildout rates; …

Economic Feasibility Of Controlling Big Sagebrush (Artemisia Tridentata) On State And Private Rangelands In Utah, Stan D. Hinckley

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

Spraying with the chemical herbicide 2,4-D is the most widely used method of controlling big sagebrush. Spraying is very effective in increasing forage production and generally is not poisonous to either man or animals.

Two procedures can be used to calculate the internal rate of return to big sagebrush control: standard and modified discounting. Standard discounting assumes all nonuse costs are incurred in the year of treatment, and the annual income stream is constant throughout the effective life of treatment. Modified discounting correctly assumes the nonuse cost is incurred in the period of deferment, and the income stream does not …

Present Livestock Feed Balance, Projected Feed Requirement And Potential For The State Of Utah, Roberto Savelli C.

All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023

The objectives of this thesis were to estimate the present livestock feed balance and project livestock feed requirements and balances to 1980 for the State of Utah.

Present feed production was obtained from published data. Livestock feed requirements were calculated using factors published in Livestock-Feed Relationships, a publication of the United States Department of Agriculture.

The projections of feed requirements to 1980 were made by projecting livestock numbers based on a least squares analysis of past trends. Utilizing the projected numbers permits calculation of the feed requirements.

Feed production in 1980 was obtained by projecting past feed production and by …