Water is the most important resource in the Western United States. The impact on water usage of growing varieties of drought resistant crops in diverse polyculture farms provides more security in a dry region like Southern Utah. Polyculture farms use significantly less water than traditional monoculture farms. Beef production is a large share of the agriculture market in parts of Southern Utah. Beef production does not contribute, but rather, depletes the biodiversity of the region. In contrast, polyculture farming practices have been shown to improve the biodiversity of their regions. I seek to provide further evidence that supports efficient water use and building up of bioagro biomes through the means of Polycultural farming practices. My work will focus on key stakeholders including: the farmer, community member, and consumer in the market. Through semi-structured interviews with polyculture farmers and surveys of biodiversity on Southern Utah farms. Through this work I seek to understand how to more effectively use limited water resources to produce food for the local community. The local community could potentially benefit by developing a diverse food economy and food culture if there is a clear focus on land stewardship by the means of polycultural farming practices.
