Blog Post

During the 2022 legislative session, the Colorado Department of Agriculture received an appropriation of $200,000 to dedicate to mental health programs.  

CDA will create a grant program that will be available to organizations serving rural communities in Colorado. CDA is working on establishing the requirements of the grants and will hold a listening session in mid-September to consider input from rural communities and other stakeholders. Applications will open up in early October and will be open for 30 calendar days.

If you’re a hemp farmer in Colorado getting ready for harvest, make sure you’ve contacted an authorized sampler to collect the samples from your lot(s) and submit for THC testing at a certified laboratory.

All hemp program registrants must complete sampling before they can begin harvesting their lot(s). 

Regenerating the land to produce food for their community is the main goal of Grama Grass and Livestock, a grass farming business that utilizes ruminant animals, specifically cattle, to improve soil health and boost forage capacity. Andy Breiter, owner of Grama Grass and Livestock, is himself an internship success story, as he began his career as an intern at the neighboring Golden Hoof Farm. 

Colorado’s Eastern Plains are known for bountiful agriculture and temperamental weather, and last week I experienced both as I traveled with Governor Polis along the High Plains Highway to visit with ag producers across the region. 

Senator Michael Bennet will host three days of Farm Bill listening sessions throughout Eastern Colorado next week in Fort Morgan, Sterling, Wray, Burlington, Lamar, Springfield, La Junta, and Limon. Listening sessions anticipate next year’s reauthorization of the Farm Bill which will impact a variety of sectors.

Water was an important focus of our trip as it is a critical resource for agriculture. Part of the purpose of our visit to the San Luis Valley was to see irrigation projects and attend the Congreso de Acequias, an annual celebration of water, land, and community that shines a light on acequias as both irrigation ditches and forms of community self-governance. Throughout our visit, we were reminded that water plays an essential role in the communities of the Valley. 

In late May, Commissioner Greenberg, Ag Commission member George Whitten and Deputy Director of Outreach Bethany Howell - the latter two both San Luis Valley residents - were honored to spend concentrated time with producers in the hidden gem of Colorado, the San Luis Valley. 

Colorado’s 2022 legislative session saw the most bills introduced (717) in the past five years and the fewest bills passed (275) during a regular session since at least 2010. Yet from this relatively small number of bills, the Colorado Department of Agriculture will see significant impacts on our budget and our ability to support our state’s agricultural communities. 

The Colorado Information Analysis Center (CIAC) is warning ag producers about cyber threats facing the food and agriculture sector. 

As the state agency in charge of assessing and sharing threat-related information, the CAIC is cautioning those in the Food and Agriculture sector to review their systems for any potential vulnerabilities. Businesses that rely on technology-based solutions, such as precision agriculture or automated production processes, are especially vulnerable. 

To commemorate Mental Health Awareness Month, CDA hosted a virtual discussion about rural mental health.

Our speakers included representatives from partner organizations based across Colorado and we touched on how stress and factors outside of our control can affect mental and physical health of farmers, ranchers, and others in agricultural communities. 

Our panelists included: