Colorado Agriculture Day
"The farther we get away from the land, the greater our insecurity." -Henry Ford
Why Celebrate Colorado Ag Day?
- Colorado agriculture provides abundant, nutritional products for consumers within the state and around the globe.
- Farmers and ranchers play a vital role in producing wholesome, safe food provided to consumers.
- Agriculture is one of largest contributors to the State’s economy, supporting more than 190,000 jobs in Colorado, generates more than $47 billion of economic activity annually, and exports over $2 billion of food and agricultural products a year.
- Colorado has more than 30 million acres of farmland that provides habitat for wildlife and open space, and innovative and sustainable farming practices ensure that our state’s resources will remain protected for generations to come.
- Farmers and ranchers are critical to Colorado agritourism, welcoming tourists from around the world and giving them a taste of the Colorado experience.
- Farmers and ranchers are innovative entrepreneurs and business leaders who remain resilient in their dedication to Colorado agriculture.
Colorado Ag Week 2024
The Colorado Department of Agriculture will hold a public forum on the Front Range on March 19 to give communities around the Denver metro area a chance to meet department staff, ask questions, discuss urban agriculture, and learn more about CDA’s programs.
The Colorado Agricultural Commission will meet in Denver on March 20, 2024, near the Colorado State Capitol to celebrate the proclamation of March 20 as Colorado Agriculture Day. Ag Commission members will join the Colorado State Senate and later meet with Governor Polis as he issues the proclamation.
CDA is co-sponsoring the 2024 Colorado Coalition to Enhance Working Lands (COCEWL) summit in the San Luis Valley, with events over two days at the Rio Grande Farm Park Education Center in Alamosa and Jones Farms Organics in Hooper. The event is meant to help SLV producers share ideas about how to respond collectively to shared challenges while enhancing working lands.
What can others do to celebrate Colorado agriculture?
There are many ways to celebrate, including:
- Visiting a local farm or ranch for a tour.
- Shopping at a local store for fresh, Colorado produce, meats, and other products marked with the Colorado Proud label.
- Cook a meal using local ingredients. Find products at https://ag.colorado.gov/markets/colorado-proud.
- Learn about your nearest community garden, through your city, schools, or local organizations.
- Visit an agricultural museum or exhibit, like the Agricultural Heritage Center at the Lohr-McIntosh Farm in Longmont or the Hutchinson Homestead in Salida, to learn about the history of farming in your region of Colorado.
- Buy a share to receive local products through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program near you.
- Take some time outside to enjoy the natural beauty agricultural lands provide as open space and wildlife habitat, like the grain fields in San Luis Valley that host migrating sandhill cranes each March.
- Find a list of year round farm and ranch activities at Colorado.com.