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USU Extension asks for $9,000 to expand bee inspections as staff outline 2026 programs
Summary
USU Extension officials presented their 2026 program overview and asked the county to add $3,000 to bee-inspection funding after reporting roughly 70% annual hive losses; the extension said it will hold operating spending steady and highlighted horticulture, water-efficiency research and large volunteer contributions.
Tom Dennis, county director for Utah State University Extension in Utah County, told commissioners the extension will hold its operating budget steady for 2026 but requested a targeted increase to support beekeeping inspections.
"Utah County has experienced 70% colony loss," Dennis said, and he relayed the county bee inspectorrequested that funding for inspections be raised from $6,000 to $9,000 to cover the larger number of new hives to be inspected next year. Dennis said the additional $3,000 would help meet inspection demand.
Dennis also said the extension is working on a relocation and anticipates vacating current space by July 1, 2026, while negotiating temporary offices. He framed the budget request as narrowly targeted and said overall program funding would not increase.
Horticulture specialist Michael Karen described several ongoing projects, including trials for commercial grape production, rootstock evaluations for stone fruits, winter hardiness (bud cold-hardiness) studies, and pest and invasive-species monitoring. Karen also summarized the Master Gardener program, reporting roughly 3,300 volunteer hours and a volunteer-value estimate of about $146,000.
Karen highlighted water-efficiency research: measuring hose and sprinkler output at different pressures and nozzle sizes to provide practical guidance to homeowners and reduce unnecessary irrigation. He said one example measurement at 70 psi with a round spray covering 15—20 feet yielded about 7 gallons per minute, or roughly 186 gallons over a 27-minute run time; Extension said it plans to publish full distribution data in 2026—27.
Jake Hatfield, who runs adult-agriculture education, reviewed community programs including a sustainable-grazing workshop and a farm-and-ranch succession clinic organized with Conserv Utah Valley. Hatfield said the fall farm field days drew about 2,265 students and more than 2,500 total attendees and that volunteer contributions for the events were valued at roughly $333,000.
Commissioners praised Extension staff for leveraging county dollars with grants and donations. The presentation closed with commissioners thanking Extension for its community outreach and education.
