Stories, photos and video about our refugee-led goat farm in Salt Lake City, formerly the East African Refugee Goat Project. Reporters can reach our team using the form below.
Utah Refugee Goats is a refugee-led nonprofit farm outside Salt Lake City. It began in 2013 as the East African Refugee Goat Project, started by Somali Bantu, Somali Bajuni and Burundian communities who wanted to keep their farming traditions, provide halal meat and create jobs. In 2021 the refugee community took over ownership and the farm became Utah Refugee Goats.
Today the farm offers goat weed control, baby goat rentals, fresh eggs, farm visits and youth and 4-H programs.
Each story links to the original publication. Photos are shown with credit to the photographer and outlet.
Utah State University agriculture students built large enclosed chicken coops as a class project and installed them at the Utah Refugee Goats farm in Salt Lake City. The coops are expected to produce about 200 eggs a day for the community.
Photo: Utah State University
Read the story at Utah State Today (Utah State University)
Utah State University faculty are training refugees at Utah Refugee Goats to raise and care for chickens after avian influenza wiped out the farm's flock. A $20,000 grant from the Vilcek Foundation is funding training and coop upgrades.
Photo: Joseph Okoh
Read the story at The Salt Lake TribuneUtah State University faculty are training refugees at the Utah Refugee Goats farm to raise chickens and goats, with a focus on biosecurity after avian influenza destroyed the flock. The aim is to help participants become self-sustaining poultry farmers.
Read the story at Utah Public RadioProfile of the New American Goat Club, a summer 4-H program where refugee and immigrant youth learn goat husbandry and connect with family cultural practices.
Read the story at slcGreen Blog (Salt Lake City Sustainability Department)Utah Refugee Goats, a nonprofit on an 80-acre farm outside Salt Lake City, employs and serves refugees from African communities. The farm rents out goats for weed control and lets families buy goats to raise.
Read the story at KSL.comEast African refugee communities that supported the IRC's Salt Lake City goat project now own its ranch operations through the new nonprofit Utah Refugee Goats, with a six-month transition and IRC support.
Read the story at International Rescue CommitteeThe IRC announced that the East African Refugee Goat Project's Salt Lake City ranch is now managed by Utah Refugee Goats, a refugee-led nonprofit formed by Somali Bantu, Somali Bajuni and Burundian communities.
Read the story at International Rescue CommitteeProfile of the East African Goat Project of Utah and its 4-H program, where refugee youth raise and show goats, learn money management and connect with their heritage.
Read the story at Utah StoriesProfile of the ranch started in 2013 to provide halal goat meat and cultural ties for refugee communities, following Somali refugee volunteer Ismael Mohamed and others.
Read the story at KUER 90.1Profile of refugees who raise goats in the United States to preserve cultural traditions and earn a living, centered on Gustave Deogratiasi, who manages the herd for the East African Refugee Goat Project.
Read the story at Modern FarmerA goat farm founded by three African refugee communities is thriving, with more than 100 new kids born and many volunteers helping. It aims to supply affordable halal meat to refugees along the Wasatch Front.
Read the story at KUTV / Associated PressAbout 100 kids had been born at the East African Refugee Goat Project, with roughly 120 more expected, and volunteer "kid sitters" help care for them.
Read the story at The Salt Lake TribuneRefugees from the Burundi, Somali Bajuni and Somali Bantu communities run the East African Refugee Goat Project near the Salt Lake City airport. Goats are leased for weed control and sold for meat, and proceeds support families and youth scholarships.
Read the story at BYU The UniverseThe East African Refugee Goat Project grew from about 40 goats to roughly 160 and aims to earn income through goat leasing and meat sales, following a $30,000 investment from Venture Philanthropy Utah.
Read the story at Deseret NewsA 3-minute video segment from the PBS Utah program Utah Issues about the East African Goat Project of Utah and its fundraising for refugee youth.
Watch at PBS Utah / KUEDThe East African Refugee Goat Project of Utah raises goats for meat and weed-control rentals, with proceeds funding youth and women's programs and college scholarships. The story profiles project coordinator Gustave Deogratiasi.
Read the story at Deseret NewsEarly story about three African refugee groups exploring a goat farm in Morgan, Utah, that would supply halal meat, create jobs and generate income for their communities.
Read the story at The Salt Lake TribuneThe project's social media page with updates and photos.
Read the story at FacebookTelevision coverage of the Utah State University chicken coop project at Utah Refugee Goats. (Date and details to be confirmed.)
Read the story at ABC4 UtahSelect a photo to open the original story. Photos belong to the credited photographers and outlets. Please ask them for permission before reusing a photo.
Tell us what you are working on and your deadline. We can arrange interviews, farm visits and photos.
Rent baby goats, hire goats for weed control, buy fresh eggs or make a gift.