Kailey Foster

In the past, the United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, has allowed farmers and ranchers to choose what identification method they prefer to use to mark their cattle. Recently the USDA issued a formal notice requiring the use of Radio Frequency Identification -- or RFID.

The COVID-19 crisis has led to thousands of Utahns losing their jobs or having their hours cut, but most have been able to stay in their homes, thanks to an eviction moratorium and assistance programs put in place by the state. 

Millions of Americans celebrate the Fourth of July every year by having a backyard barbeque. While this year’s holiday weekend may not look like past years, its still just as important to keep food safety practices in mind to prevent foodborne illnesses. 

The primary  election voting process in Utah looks pretty different this year thanks to the coronavirus. During one of the special legislative sessions this year, a bill was passed saying there would be no in person voting, unless counties chose to offer drive-through sites. 

Summertime usually means occupying children by sending them out to summer camps, however with COVID-19, this may not be a viable option. Some organizations have decided to shift their camps to an online platform to keep kids engaged. Weber County 4-H is one of those groups transitioning summer camps to remote learning opportunities.

The second Farmers Feeding Utah “miracle project” happened in Northern Utah on Tuesday. Food pantries in Cache, Box Elder, and Rich Counties all benefited from the project.

Multiple meat packing plants in Utah have been hit with recent influxes of coronavirus cases and some consumers are concerned about what this means for the products from these plants.  The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food released a statement saying they are confident in the quantity and quality of the meat that is produced in Utah. 

Curds + Kindness is an initiative created by Dairy West redistribute surplus diary to people at risk of hunger across Utah and Idaho. As part of June, National Dairy Month, Dairy West is celebrating frontline workers by distributing grilled cheese sandwiches and cheese curds.  

Now that the weather is warming up, farmers markets around Utah are beginning to open up. However, they don’t look the same as past years. Some markets have been positively effected by pandemic mitigation efforts, while others, not so much.

Monday night’s Republican gubernatorial debate took place at the same time as the second round of protests that took place in Salt Lake City demanding justice for George Floyd of Minnesota.

The newest COVID-19 relief bill, the “Heroes Act”, that just passed in the U.S. House of Representatives would — if passed by the U.S. Senate and signed into law by President Trump — provide low-income Utah families and individuals with nearly $45 million extra over the next 16 months to purchase groceries or food at farmers markets. 

All over the country, states have been impacted by meat shortages due to processing plants being shut down and the change in the supply and demand chain. 

At 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, most areas of Utah will be making the transition to the low-risk, "yellow" category of coronavirus mitigation efforts. However, Grand County, Summit County, Wasatch County, Salt Lake City, and West Valley City will continue to be in the moderate "orange" risk category.

On Thursday, Utah Farm Bureau Federation announced it was launching its Farmers Feeding Utah program to help both farmers and people in financial need throughout the community. Through this program, people in the community can donate money to buy food from farmers and distribute it to families in need.

All around the country, county fairs are being canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, but that won’t stop 4-Hers from continuing to learn and compete. While some counties have already cancelled their fairs, efforts are still being made to still hold livestock shows.

With schools being closed for the rest of the year, some students are taking that extra time to give back to the community. 4-H members throughout the state have taken this opportunity to help local hospitals by printing face shield and mask connectors.