By Dallas May
The importance of farming and ranching to Colorado’s heritage and our future cannot be overstated.
A strong agricultural industry means a strong Colorado, which is why I am happy to see that the Polis administration has prioritized supporting the next generation of farmers and ranchers.
Too often it can feel like those who work under the gold dome in Denver’s state capitol are far removed from what it’s like to work in this thriving industry, but the reality is that Governor Polis and his administration, particularly with the support of agriculture commissioner Kate Greenberg, have a strong presence in farming communities across our state and are working for the benefit of rural Colorado.
They are focused on helping producers increase the resilience of their businesses, diversify operations, and create easier ways for Colorado-grown and raised products to make it from the fields and pastures of Colorado into the homes of Coloradans and people all around the world.
As Colorado and the agriculture industry are working to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, the Polis administration has prioritized support for farming and ranching. This included $76 million in stimulus funds to finance the agriculture supply chain infrastructure grants, provide funding to expand market access through Colorado proud, support agricultural drought response and recovery, agricultural renewable energy and energy efficiency grants, funding for the National Western Stock Show, as well as local county fairs and the state fair, and dollars for state water plan projects. With Governor Polis’s attendance and presentation at the 2021 annual convention of the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, he became the first Colorado governor to address this important industry group in many years.
He has been an advocate for the natural resources of our state. Promoting numerous plans and initiatives to protect wildlife, migration corridors, and recognizing the importance private lands and the people who steward them play in protecting our state’s natural resources. In the last year, two new state parks have been preserved in Colorado.
Colorado farmers, ranchers and processors have also received more than 1.6 million in Cares Act funding.
The state also created the Farm-to-Market infrastructure grants. These funds are used for agricultural processing projects like transforming, packaging, sorting, storage, grading of Colorado livestock, livestock products, agricultural commodities, plants, and plant products. The first round has already closed, but applications for the second round are being accepted until Feb. 28.
With USDA specialty crop block grants, administered by the Colorado Department of agriculture, producers can focus on scaling-up high-value agriculture and diverse market opportunities, and take steps to increase soil, water, and climate stewardship.
Through the state’s Family Farm Transition initiative, producers can get support in developing a family plan, including navigating complex estate planning issues as they begin to contemplate passing the family operation to the next generation.
The state is also engaging farmers and ranchers in helping to preserve our future and mitigate changes in weather and extreme drought conditions.
Farmers and ranchers are and always have been stewards of our working lands, and are heavily impacted by climate and weather. Many are already engaging in cost-saving, climate-smart practices, like using cover crops and incorporating grazing into their land management plans that can also help profits. Through listening sessions, industry and state leaders are coming together in conversation to inform a strategic, agriculture-focused plan to address climate challenges faced by all Coloradans. Through grants and programs like the STAR(Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources) and ACRE3 (Advancing Colorado’s Renewable Energy Efficiency), Colorado is funding voluntary adoption of soil health and energy efficiency practices.
These programs will help measure the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, to quantify their benefits. Investing in renewable energy gives producers another way to promote their products because consumers care that their food was produced in a way that promotes a diverse and healthy ecosystem.
Agriculture is something that all Coloradans are connected to, some without even realizing it. It has been said many times that food is not produced in a grocery store but by the people who work every day tirelessly to bring safe and abundant supplies to an ever-increasing population.
To help connect even more Coloradans with this leading economic driver, the state is investing in agricultural organizations across the state, including dedicated funding for 45 County Fairs in 2020 that suffered losses due to the pandemic.
In an effort to highlight agriculture and Colorado-grown products, the 2021 Colorado State Fair hosted the inaugural Governor’s Plate Competition, which featured local food trucks each of which were tasked with using exclusively Colorado products.
The rich history of our state is built on the foundation that agriculture and rural Colorado has provided.
Gov. Polis has proven to be an effective leader on various issues facing the state. Rural Colorado is a key part of the state facing serious issues.
The governor’s creative approach to policy can help rural communities start tackling and solving these issues.
The May Ranch is owned and operated by Dallas May and his family of Prowers County.
Sign up for email newsletters
We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful conversations about issues in our community. We reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law, regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.
Copyright © 2022 MediaNews Group
Dallas May: Strong agricultural industry vital to strengthen Colorado – Lamar Ledger
