The Colorado State Conservation Board (CSCB), which provides guidance to the Department of Agriculture, has been awarded more than $375,000 to fund nine Working Lands Climate Corps (WLCC) positions across the state. Five Colorado Conservation Districts will participate in the program, providing opportunities for nine student technicians to experience on-the-job-training and learn more about conservation career opportunities.
For the second year in a row, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) awarded $500,000 through the Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration grant, funding six projects that demonstrate the technology and benefits of agrivoltaics in Colorado.
By growing food and developing energy on the same parcel of land, agrivoltaics is an important component of both the state’s renewable energy goals and fostering a resilient agricultural system in Colorado.
On Dec. 19 at CSU-Spur, Governor Polis and Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) Commissioner Kate Greenberg awarded $500,000 in grants to seven projects that demonstrate the use and benefits of agrivoltaics, the simultaneous use of land for solar energy production and agriculture. These grants distributed by the Polis administration will provide funding to incorporate innovative technology that supports Colorado’s producers to operate in the face of challenges created by climate change and prepare the next generation.
Several state agencies will implement policies to slash greenhouse gas emissions, improve air quality, protect our natural and agricultural lands, and make the state more resilient
Governor Polis recently signed into law a series of bills passed by the Colorado legislature that build on the state’s commitment to an equitable transition to a low-carbon economy through robust policies and targeted funding.
The Colorado STAR soil health program is expanding to an estimated 300 producers, with the addition of 21 Conservation Districts and 7 eligible entities to the list of STAR Plus administrating entities. Funding for this expansion comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Climate Smart Commodities (CSC) grant, which invested $3.1 billion in 141 projects across the country. CDA was the only state department of agriculture to be selected as a project lead on a CSC grant.
As Colorado legislators finalize the content of the state budget, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is praising lawmakers for their support of Governor Polis’s key budget requests that support agricultural communities across our state through passage of the state’s Long Bill.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is recruiting qualified applicants for a new position of Deputy Director of the Conservation Division & Climate Resilience Specialist. This position will support the work of the Division and oversee several programs and strategic initiatives related to climate resilience.
Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg met today with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Robert Bonnie to discuss the alignment between the state and federal agencies on climate resilience and stewardship of natural and working lands. They were joined by Colorado Farm Service Agency (FSA) state director Kent Peppler and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) State Conservationist Clint Evans and others leading climate work for the federal government.
Colorado farmers and ranchers are on the frontlines of climate change and are leading the way on climate-smart agricultural practices. CDA is working to develop a strategic plan to support the critical work being done in agriculture to address climate challenges faced by all Coloradans.