Summit County farmers, ranchers and food businesses can apply for grants of up to $1 million through a state program that has grown ninefold this year, with applications due Monday, Aug. 31.
The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food opened the 2026 Utah Food Security Grant with $9.3 million in competitive awards available to producers who keep Utah-grown food in the state. Gov. Spencer Cox announced the expanded program July 22 at Cross E Ranch in Salt Lake City, calling it the first installment of up to $50 million in federal Rural Health Transformation funding expected over the next five years. Congress appropriated the money through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
The program matters locally because Summit and Wasatch counties qualify as "rural Utah" under the grant's eligibility rules, which exclude only Davis, Salt Lake, Utah and Weber counties. That means Park City-area farms, food processors, restaurants sourcing local ingredients, nonprofits and even school districts can compete for funding.
Local producers have won before. In the 2024 round, 3 Springs Land and Livestock of Kamas received an award, along with Heber Valley Artisan Cheese and Heber Valley Milk in neighboring Midway, according to the Utah Farm Bureau.
The scale of this year's program dwarfs previous rounds. The grant launched in 2022 with $1 million from the state Legislature and awarded a total of $4 million to 56 businesses over its first four years through 2025, according to UDAF. The 2023 round alone drew 89 applications requesting more than $10 million against just $1 million available.
The 2026 expansion is funded through an $11 million federal allocation, with $9.3 million going directly to competitive grants. The Utah Department of Health and Human Services is co-administering the funding alongside the agriculture department, KSL reported.
"Why don't school districts just take local vegetables? It's got to be processed in a form that they can accept it," Agriculture Commissioner Kelly Pehrson said at the July 22 announcement. "Those are the big gaps we're seeing and so this grant, hopefully, can entice companies to come and do packing ... the way that it needs processed, so that can get to hospitals, schools, institutions."
Utah Farm Bureau Vice President Wade Garrett noted that as little as one-fifth of agricultural products grown or raised in Utah are actually processed and consumed in the state. Most Utah cattle leave for processing elsewhere and return through large national processors.
Grant funds can cover agricultural equipment, food processing infrastructure, cold storage, transportation, commercial kitchens and food safety certifications. Applicants must use at least 51% Utah-grown or Utah-raised products and distribute at least 25% of their products to rural Utah communities.
Three award tiers are available: microgrants from $1,000 to $10,000, startup grants up to $50,000 for first-year businesses and standard awards from $10,000 to $1 million. No matching funds are required.
The state expects to announce preliminary awards in October. All funded projects must be completed by Sept. 30, 2027. Applications and eligibility details are available at ag.utah.gov/marketing-and-economic-development/utah-food-security-grant.
