The Colorado Department of Agriculture Markets Division is pleased to offer loan and grant programs to help Colorado's agriculture industry identify renewable energy opportunities, promote products, and conduct feasibility studies.
Domestic Marketing
Agritourism Visiting a farm, ranch, pumpkin patch or corn maze can be a fun an educational experience. Agritourism connects rural and urban communities and provides opportunities for people to experience Colorado agriculture.
Business Development Tools Our online publications section provides you with helpful resources on developing and marketing your food product. Be sure to visit the Checklist for Start-Up Food Processors and the list of Do's and Don'ts for Food Processors.
Colorado Proud Colorado Proud is a marketing program designed to help consumers, restaurants and retailers identify and purchase food and agricultural products that are grown, raised or processed in Colorado.
Colorado Market Maker (Find Colorado food products here). Colorado Market Maker is an interactive resource that locates businesses and markets of agricultural products in Colorado, providing an important link between producers and consumers. Whether you are looking for Colorado products or are a food or agricultural business wanting to be listed, visit www.comarketmaker.com.
Food Processing We offer a variety of online resources to help you start your food processing business.
Promotion and Public Relations Our promotional marketing specialist is available to meet with companies or commodity groups to develop media strategies and marketing plans.
AgInsights With representatives from Colorado's farm, livestock and commodity organizations, this group was organized to cooperatively address the challenges facing Colorado's agricultural industry. Producer-funded programs include a speakers bureau, public opinion surveys, media tours, public relations campaigns and issues management training.
Partnership with the Restaurant Industry The Division partners with restaurant organizations to promote the use of Colorado foods in the restaurant, food service and hospitality industries.
Trade Shows
The Colorado Department of Agriculture participates in several trade shows each year to help Colorado companies expand their markets locally, nationally and internationally. Funding is available to help you with some trade show costs.
Local Market Price Reports
The Market News Division of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is expanding its reporting efforts to include information about local and regional food markets.
Through a cooperative agreement with USDA/AMS, the Colorado Department of Agriculture is collaborating with Colorado State University (CSU) to collect market information for specialty crop, meat, poultry, egg, and dairy agricultural commodities marketed through farmers markets, farmers auctions, food hubs, farm to school, and other local market venues around Colorado.
Producers and industry participants can use this unbiased information to track prices and know they are receiving a fair price for their products.