USU Extension and College of Ag Honored with Seven Best of State Awards

Four Utah State University Extension programs and three College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences (CAAS) programs are recipients of the 2023 Best of State Awards.

            Utah’s Best of State Awards recognize organizations and businesses in Utah that are outstanding in their area of work. Applicants are required to write about achievements in their field of endeavor, including innovation or creativity in their approaches, techniques, methods or processes, and the contribution their business makes to the quality of life in Utah. Over 100 judges review each nomination before casting their votes, and applications with the highest number of votes win a Best of State medal.

            Award categories for USU Extension include: “Nutritional Health Education” for the Create Better Health (SNAP-Ed) program; “Finance Education” for the Personal Finance Education Program; “Community Education” for the Be Epic Escape the Vape e-cigarette prevention program for rural communities; and “Curriculum Development” for The Confidence Project, a curriculum focused on building confidence in girls.

            Best of State award categories for CAAS’s Department of Nutrition, Dietetics and Food Sciences include “Ice Cream” for Aggie Ice Cream; “Specialty Cheeses” for the Aggie Creamery; and “Culinary Chocolate” for the Aggie Chocolate Factory. The Aggie Creamery, Aggie Ice Cream, and Aggie Chocolate Factory have each won the Best of State Award three years in a row. 

            USU Extension and CAAS award-winning programs will be recognized at a gala held  May 24 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City. For further information, visit bestofstate.org.