FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 15, 2020
Contact: Mary Peck, 720-428-0441, mary.peck@state.co.us
Broomfield, Colo. - As the 2020 Census deadline of September 30 approaches, the Colorado Department of Agriculture is reminding the state’s rural counties of the importance of being counted. While Colorado’s current overall self response rate in more populous metro counties is exceeding 75%, some rural areas have current self-response rates of 50% or less including Baca, Cheyenne, Conejos, Costilla, Dolores, Routt, and Saguache counties.
A current Colorado county Census response map is available here.
Accurate census data from Colorado’s rural communities is vital, as the information is used as the reference for distribution of many federal dollars, including funding for the school lunch program, Medicaid and Medicare, highway construction, USDA’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and Women, Infants and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program, and more.
Completing the 2020 Census takes about 10 minutes. The form does not ask about U.S. citizenship and is available in 13 languages. Visit 2020census.gov to file online or call 844-330-2020 by September 30, 2020.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture exists to support the state's agriculture industry and serve the people of Colorado through regulation, advocacy and education. Our mission is to strengthen and advance Colorado agriculture, promote a safe and high-quality food supply, protect consumers, and foster responsible stewardship of the environment and natural resources.