“What Does Agriculture in the Wasatch Front South 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 Wasatch Front South 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:

Salt Lake lands agronomy society conventions for 2015, 2025

Visit Salt Lake has announced it has agreed to deals that will bring two agronomy societies to Salt Lake City in 2021 and 2025 for conventions that are expected to attract 6,000 visitors and generate more than $5 million in spending each year.

The annual meetings of the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America and Soil Science Society of America are set for November at the Salt Palace Convention Center.

The societies are dedicated to the conservation and wise use of natural resources to produce food, feed and fiber crops, while maintaining and improving the environment.

Visit Salt Lake said competition for the bookings was intense because of the conventions’ size and because they are scheduled at otherwise slow times of the year.

Visit Salt Lake is a private, nonprofit corporation responsible for the promotion of Salt Lake as a convention and travel destination. Salt Lake Tribune

Millcreek Market opened 11-week run on July 26

The Millcreek Community Market’s 11-week season began July 26 at the Baldwin Radio Factory Art Studios Courtyard, 3474 S. 2300 East.

From 4-8 p.m. each Thursday through Oct. 4, the market will give visitors a chance to buy fresh produce amid art studios that have been opened in a former radio headset factory built in 1914 by Nathaniel Baldwin.

Executive director Amber DeKirk said there will be an emphasis at this year’s market on providing information about where specific foods are grown and how they are processed and distributed. Salt Lake Tribune