Ever wondered how your field’s soil health is doing? Bring the doctor to your field with the new STAR (Saving Tomorrow’s Agriculture Resources) Tool. Using an online application, Colorado producers can find out how their field ranks on a nationally recognized scale that assesses the health of their soil. The free, straightforward, easily interpretable score reflects the many beneficial practices producers can implement to improve their soil health. Using a scale of 1-5, the STAR rating communicates a commitment to climate smart agriculture and stewardship practices that keep Colorado soils healthy for generations to come.
“Supporting Colorado farmers and ranchers is essential to continue to grow our agricultural sector, and build our economy. STAR is a revolutionary new tool that promotes healthy agricultural practices and is a convenient and cost-effective resource to ensure our agricultural community is able to maintain healthy soil, and protect the land for future generations of Colorado farmers and ranchers,” said Governor Polis.
The STAR Tool was already available to nearly 400 producers enrolled in the Colorado Soil Health Program, but it has now been made available for any producer in Colorado to use. The STAR Tool helps producers evaluate their management practices and how they tie into the five soil health principles of soil armoring, reducing soil disturbance, increasing plant diversity, maintaining a continuous living root, and integrating livestock.
“STAR is an easy, voluntary, and versatile tool to support conservation. It was created by farmers for farmers to help them make the most of limited resources and to make the best use of their available water,” said Cindy Lair, Deputy Director of Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Services Division. “The STAR Tool can become a useful resource for producers to evaluate their current practices and determine the best practices to improve their STAR score, their soil function, and their bottom line.”
Producers complete a field evaluation to receive a 1 - 5 STAR rating. The form typically takes just 10 - 15 minutes, and is tailored to the producer’s crop type. After completing a field evaluation, producers receive a tailored and field-specific Conservation Innovation Plan (CIP). This plan provides access to conservation resources and producers can tie their management practices into larger conservation goals, like improving resilience to drought and weather extremes.
By completing a field evaluation form every year, producers can quickly determine if their management practices are improving soil health and if their STAR rating increases. Being able to see progress over time will help producers ensure they are on track in meeting their conservation goals while balancing the economic viability of their operation. Producers can also request a free STAR field sign after completing their evaluation to showcase their dedication and hard work in building their soil health.
For the first 100 new fields in Colorado to receive a rating through the STAR Tool will also be eligible to receive a free, comprehensive soil analysis through CDA in the spring to further support soil health goals.
The STAR Tool was developed by the national STAR non-profit with support from the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA), Colorado State University (CSU), and a USDA Climate Smart Commodities Grant. The STAR framework began in Illinois to help farmers reduce nutrient pollution through practicing reduced tillage and planting cover crops.
Over the past 5 years, national STAR worked with CDA staff and experts at CSU to adapt the framework to fit the diverse agricultural production systems in Colorado. A highly collaborative Science Committee, composed of members from STAR, CDA, and CSU, created seven field evaluation forms to capture the diverse commodities grown in Colorado. Different evaluation criteria, such as whether an operation is irrigated or a dryland, are integrated into the forms, ensuring that the STAR framework takes into account the different realities of farming in Colorado.
In addition to assessing soil health and assigning a STAR rating, the online STAR Tool helps producers learn about available resources, including technical support or financial incentives. Producers can also generate a STAR landowner-lender report to showcase their stewardship of the land to various stakeholders, such as lessors or financial institutions.
You can find the tool at startool.ag. Please email cda_star@state.co.us if you have any questions about the web tool or trouble using it.
By partnering with conservation districts and local eligible entities to provide financial and technical assistance, the Colorado Soil Health Program supports farmers and ranchers as they improve their soil quality. The program is housed in CDA’s Conservation Services Division which is dedicated to helping farmers, ranchers, and other landowners manage Colorado’s natural resources effectively for sustained agriculture production and environmental health. Programs such as Noxious Weeds and Weed Free Forage help reduce the spread of invasive plants in Colorado. The Division also houses the Agricultural Drought and Climate Resilience Office (ADCRO), which houses programs dedicated to energy conservation and efficiency as well as the agrivoltaics program.
The Division also leads on several strategic priorities for CDA. This includes advancing the Colorado Water Plan, one of CDA’s Wildly Important Goals, and implementing many of the objectives outlined under the Environmental Stewardship and Climate Resilience direction of CDA’s Strategic Plan.
Need this press release in Spanish? Please email cda_communications@state.co.us.