The Colorado STAR Program launched in 2022 as a partnership between the Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado State University, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and many other partners.
STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources), Colorado’s state soil health program, grew out of a stakeholder process facilitated by the Colorado Collaborative for Healthy Soils in 2019 that involved more than 250 stakeholders and resulted in the passage of HB21-1181 and SB21-235.
What started as a pilot program in 3 conservation districts is now a robust and holistic program serving 125 participants through financial, technical, and other support. Through additional funding that is forthcoming, STAR is on its way to becoming a statewide program that will serve up to 450 participants and lead to development at a regional level.
This report provides a summary of the program and the activities from 2022 through January 2023.