Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office (ADCRO)
Drought & climate change present serious threats to Colorado’s agricultural production and rural economies. However, farm and ranch management also provide a key to both mitigate climate impacts and create a more resilient Colorado. CDA’s Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office (ADCRO) drives policy and supports programming that strengthens Colorado’s producers’ ability to mitigate and respond to drought and a changing climate.
Working closely with farmers, ranchers, commodity groups, state and local agencies, and the US Dept of Agriculture, ADCRO provides voluntary technical assistance, non-regulatory programs, and incentives to producers to increase their ability to anticipate, prepare for, mitigate, adapt to, and respond to hazardous events and trends related to drought or the climate.
Climate Change and Agriculture
Colorado’s farmers and ranchers are key players in the State’s climate goals. Farm and ranch management can lead to reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, increased carbon sequestration, and increased climate resilience for the State, as well as many important co-benefits. Climate smart agricultural production also increases food security, supports rural economies, and increases biodiversity.
Learn more about Colorado agriculture’s climate impact and opportunity.
Mental Health Grant Opportunity
During the 2022 legislative session, the Colorado Department of Agriculture received an appropriation of $200,000 to dedicate to mental health programs.
CDA is looking to Colorado’s community of mental and behavioral health providers to think creatively about ways to reach rural communities and expand information about and access to services.
Grant requests should be between $25,000-$100,000 and should include a plan for how to fully expend the grant funding by the end of the state’s fiscal year, on June 30, 2023.
The grant application period will be open until November 7, and applications should be submitted online. Submitted applications will be reviewed by a panel and approved by the Agricultural Commission.
The application period is now closed. Grants recipients will be notified in December 2022.
You can preview the application by reviewing this document. Please note that you must submit your application via the online form above.
With questions about the application process, please email program manager Kristen Boysen.