Utah Agriculture officials highlight food‑security grants, Farm‑to‑School sales and digital outreach

Caroline Hargraves, director of marketing and economic development at the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, told the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environmental Quality Appropriations Subcommittee that the department’s outreach and grant programs are driving local processing and school procurement of Utah food products.

Hargraves said the department’s Farm to School efforts—highlighted by an annual Apple Crunch Day that she said generates roughly $100,000 in direct local apple sales—help schools buy local even if they cannot source products year‑round. She also described the Utah Food Security Grant, a 75%/25% matching program she said has been funded at about $1 million per year over the past four years; department staff reported awarding 27 projects last year while receiving many more requests.

The presentation included short videos and testimonials from grant recipients who said awards enabled equipment purchases and production increases. Hargraves said one meat processor in Vernal used a $20,000 award to replace a band saw that otherwise might have forced the business to close. She added the department has consistently exceeded its legislative performance measures for some items but warned that requests continue to grow and that federal funds that may flow through DHHS could be used to extend the program.

Hargraves also emphasized customer‑service work: the department plans a relaunch of ag.utah.gov to simplify applications, payments and licensing. She said the division is expanding outreach via two podcasts and programs like Utah’s Own to tell producer stories and help small producers access markets such as trade shows and retail partnerships.

The committee asked no substantive follow‑up questions on Hargraves’s presentation; staff said they stand ready to provide additional program details and grant metrics on request.