Utah Department of Agriculture & Food

resource active confidence: Medium status: Draft updated 2026-08-11

Type: resource
Status: Draft
Confidence: Medium
Tier: D
Builder-tier: C
Founder-tier: C
Activity-signal: 2026-08-31 · https://ag.utah.gov/grants-and-loans/
Activity-checked: 2026-08-14
Focus: Entrepreneurship Communities, Funding, Late Stage Growth
Primary Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Utah Location: statewide
Region: statewide
Map Location: 350 N Redwood Rd, Salt Lake City, UT 84116
Coordinates: 40.776965, -111.938124
Location Precision: exact
Location Source: https://gopb.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/ERG2024.pdf
Website: https://ag.utah.gov/
Updated: 2026-08-11

Summary

The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) is the state agency responsible for Utah's agriculture and food industries. For Startup State founders, UDAF is most relevant as a statewide grant, loan, and marketing resource for agricultural and food businesses — not as a general tech-startup program.

Who It's For

Utah agricultural producers, food businesses, and rural operators seeking state grants, agricultural loans, marketing support, or USDA-linked resources. Livestock operators, specialty-crop producers, and small food/ag businesses are the clearest fits.

What It Provides

Open and upcoming grant programs (for example grazing improvement, predatory-animal control, and salinity-reduction projects listed on the grants page), agricultural loans, USDA resource navigation, marketing and economic-development services, conservation initiatives, and webinars on federal identifiers such as UEIs for grant eligibility.

How To Use It

Start with the official website, then confirm current programs before recommending.

Official website · https://ag.utah.gov/
Email: agriculture@utah.gov
Startup State listing: https://startup.utah.gov/business-resource/utah-department-of-agriculture-food/

Cost

Grant programs are competitive and may require cost-share or matching funds depending on the specific program. Verify eligibility, deadlines, and any applicant cost on the relevant grant page before applying.

Best Fits

Rural and agricultural founders building or expanding food, livestock, or specialty-crop businesses in Utah. A weak fit for software-only or urban consumer startups with no ag/food angle.

Evidence

Open Questions

Which UDAF marketing programs (for example Utah's Own) are currently active and how do food startups enroll?
What are the current award sizes and windows for open specialty-crop and livestock grants?