The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Agrivoltaics Research and Demonstration Grant Program is open for applications. Now in its third year, this program provides funding for projects that research and demonstrate the use of solar energy production on agricultural land.
Ever wondered how your field’s soil health is doing? Bring the doctor to your field with the new STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources) Tool. Using an online application, Colorado producers can find out how their field ranks on a nationally recognized scale that assesses the health of their soil. The free, straightforward, easily interpretable score reflects the many beneficial practices producers can implement to improve their soil health.
To promote market development and increase production capabilities for climate smart commodities and other agricultural products, the Colorado Department of Agriculture is now accepting proposals for the Climate Smart Market Expansion Project. These competitive awards will support pilot projects that increase demand and create premiums for agricultural products grown using climate smart practices. Proposals are being accepted as Documented Quotes through the Colorado Vendor Self Service (VSS) website.
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.
CDA is accepting proposals for the