Matt Yost to Talk Saving Water on Farms at the Next Research Landscapes

USU Research Landscapes will return with "Water Optimization on Utah's Farms" featuring Matt Yost on Aug. 4.

A USU Extension Specialist and a researcher in the Plants, Soils & Climate Department of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, Yost works directly with farmers around Utah to test various watering equipment, techniques and practices.

“We have never had a greater need for water in Utah than in last two years," Yost said recently. With worsening drought conditions in the West, learning to optimize water use will be critical to ensure "we have the water we need now and for future uses," he said.

In Utah, irrigation accounts for upward of 70 percent of water use, but the conversation isn't as simple as reducing the number of farms in the state. Agricultural activities provide approximately 80,000 jobs and contribute 15 percent of the state's GDP, Yost said.

Drought has made things more unpredictable for those who work in agriculture, but improved water optimization methods could reduce the pressure on Utah's food producers and could mean more available water to support the state's growing population.

The conversation, though, isn't about how farmers can use less water so Utah's residential areas can use more. Rather, Yost said, it's a discussion about how everyone in the state can work collaboratively to reduce personal water use.

Yost's interest in this research area began with his upbringing on a southern Idaho dairy farm. Since then, he obtained a degree in Applied Plant Sciences and has authored many journal and Extension articles on his research for water optimization, nitrogen management, precision agriculture, soil conservation and bioenergy crops.

This USU Research Landscapes event will be 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 4, at the O.C. Tanner Headquarters in Salt Lake City. Those interested in attending can RSVP at researchlandscapes.usu.edu. The event will include a 30-minute presentation by Yost, followed by a live question-and-answer session.

The event will also include two guest speakers: Craig Buttars, the commissioner of the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food, and Casey Snider, who serves District 5 in the Utah House of Representatives.

USU Research Landscapes, which is sponsored by O.C. Tanner, provides an entry point for state and community decision-makers across the Wasatch Front to connect with the researchers who are investigating Utah’s land, water and air challenges. As the state’s land-grant institution, Utah State University is uniquely situated to help solve these critical issues facing the state.