Press Release

Starting this year, all farms growing produce typically consumed raw, which fall under the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Produce Safety Rule, must be in compliance with the Harvest and Post-Harvest Water standards. The Colorado Department of Agriculture inspects farms across the state to ensure compliance with the Rule and Produce Safety Rule staff will hold a Town Hall for farmers to learn what standards they will need to meet. 

On March 12, Moms and Mutts: Colorado Rescue (MAMCO) relinquished its PACFA license as part of an agreement with the Colorado Department of Agriculture's Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) program.

Dust off your boots and mark your calendars, the 2025 Colorado State Fair is bringing three nights of country music to the Big R Arena, and it all kicks off after the action of the PRCA Rodeo from August 22-24.

This year’s star-studded concert lineup features rising sensation Cooper Alan, chart-topping country hitmaker Lee Brice, and legendary entertainer Clay Walker. 

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.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Management Program and the Colorado State University Extension signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to formalize a partnership that details how these two critical state resources will work hand in hand during emergencies impacting Colorado’s agriculture communities.

As calving and lambing season begins in earnest, the Colorado Department of Agriculture is sending funding directly to Colorado livestock producer organizations to help them prepare for predator conflict using non-lethal management tools. As Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) continues the voter-mandated wolf reintroduction effort, CDA has issued 12 grants, ranging between $5,000 and $35,000, to organizations across Colorado that work with livestock owners in areas where wolves are or may be present. 

“Rye” not discover the legacy of ancient grains with our delightful rye and carrot muffins? This eco-friendly treat celebrates local ingredients while helping fight climate change. These hearty muffins combine earthy rye and White Sonora flour with sweet, tender carrots, creating a flavorful breakfast treat. The slightly denser texture of the flours adds depth, while the carrots ensure that each bite remains moist and delicious.

After a successful summer treatment plan, Mesa County and the city of Grand Junction are celebrating an 85% reduction in Japanese beetle populations. Found in the city of Grand Junction in the summer of 2022, Mesa County declared the beetle a public nuisance species in March 2023. Joined by the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), CSU Extension, and the City of Grand Junction, Mesa County has worked to eradicate the species, which is a threat to both crops and ornamental plants on the Western Slope. 

In the United States, the first weights and measures law was signed by President John Adams on March 2, 1799, but having reliable scales has been a concern of merchants and buyers dating back to biblical times (Leviticus 19:35-36). And who can forget George Washington’s Dream (from a recent Saturday Night Live episode) of a country where we choose our own system of weights and measures. 

Today, the Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act (PACFA) Program, administered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), served Moms and Mutts: Colorado Rescue for Pregnant and Nursing Dogs Inc. (MAMCO) with an order summarily suspending their pet animal facility license. The summary suspension orders MAMCO to immediately cease, desist, and refrain from any activities that require a pet animal care facility license.