National STAR & Colorado Soil Health Program Relationship
STAR is a national, non-profit organization established to develop and expand the STAR framework for conservation practice evaluation, implementation, and valuation.
The STAR framework inspires, guides, and standardizes conservation practice adoption and implementation across a variety of agricultural production systems at scale through state level STAR Affiliates- like the Colorado Department of Agriculture.
STAR is a framework that packages technical assistance, branding, financial assistance, and soil health assessment to be easily implemented and delivered on a local level. The STAR framework is a critical tool used in the Colorado Soil Health Program. The program utilizes the STAR framework as an assessment tool for all enrolled fields to show producers where they are in their soil health journey.
Why should I participate in STAR?
The primary purpose of a STAR rating is to help producers understand where their operations stand concerning soil health and what improvements are possible going forward. STAR also provides a new way for conservation districts to interact with local landowners and a structure to guide conversations about soil health. Participating in STAR may unlock new opportunities and revenue streams for Colorado farmers and ranchers. It will also be a part of other programs offered by the Colorado Department of Agriculture to encourage voluntary adoption of soil health practices.
STAR Verification process
Individual producers who have submitted a STAR field assessment form to CDA will be subject to random verification by a CDA employee. This verification process does not require a field visit, but will involve the submission of documentation showing the practices indicated in the STAR Form. Documentation may include receipts, invoices, dated photographs, harvest logs, FSA Form 578, NRCS records, harvest logs, and other commonly kept records.
We are in the process of revising the field forms as we prepare for the next round of the CSHP. We are not accepting field form submissions at this time.
STAR Field Evaluation
What is the Colorado STAR Field Evaluation?
The Colorado Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources (STAR) framework is a free and voluntary tool to inspire producers, give bragging rights, and structure conversations around soil health. STAR is a practice-based rating system that assigns points for the following soil health practices: cropping, tillage, nutrient application, and other best management practices based upon a 10-minute form that producers fill out about each field. As a result, the farmer or rancher receives a STAR rating from 1-5 stars that help them understand how well they are doing in promoting soil health and upholding the 5 principles of soil health:
- Soil Armor
- Minimize Soil Disturbance
- Plant Diversity
- Continual Live Plant/Root
- Livestock Integration
STAR could become a market signal to pay producers more for products grown using healthy soils practices and provide an onramp to other opportunities.
How does it work?
Step 1: The producer completes a field assessment form for each field for a given crop year
Step 2: Points are assigned for soil health practices
Step 3: The producer converts their total points into a STAR Rating (1 to 5):
- 1 Star (Average)
A field with no conservation practices being applied. - 2 Stars (Above Average)
A field beginning to implement soil health principles. - 3 Stars (Great)
A field implementing multiple soil health principles. - 4 Stars (Excellent)
A field implementing several soil health principles. - 5 Stars (Ideal)
A field implementing all five soil health principles.
Step 4: CDA will verify a random sample of producer fields each year