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Four photos: a group of producers stand in a field while a trench is dug for a soil moisture monitor, a lush green field with cover crops, a CSHP employee kneels in a field to show onlookers the soil, a corn field with a pivot with mountains in the bacground

Colorado Soil Health Program

Colorado Soil Health Program Vision

The Colorado Soil Health Program (CSHP) envisions resilient, productive, and sustainable agricultural landscapes across the state. By fostering local expertise, building collaborative partnerships, and providing guidance and support, CSHP helps farmers and ranchers adopt soil health practices that improve soil function, conserve water, and enhance long-term profitability. Grounded in practical, science-based principles and tailored to local conditions, CSHP ensures Colorado’s lands, communities, and agricultural operations remain healthy and thriving for future generations. 

Contact the Soil Health Program

Colorado Soil Health Program Background

CSHP partners with farmers and ranchers to strengthen soil health across diverse operations. The program is guided by six core principles of soil health:

A circle with 5 graphics and the text Increasing Diversity, Maximizing Living Roots, Integrating Livestock, Minimizing Soil Disturbance, and Building Soil Armor. With the Context and a graphic of a barn in the center of the circle.

  1. Soil armor – keep the soil covered (protecting the soil surface with plant residue, cover crops, or mulch reduces erosion, moderates soil temperature, retains moisture, and supports a healthy soil ecosystem).
  2. Minimizing disturbance – do less, gain more (reducing tillage and other physical or chemical disruptions preserves soil structure, promotes microbial activity, and maintains soil carbon and nutrient levels).
  3. Plant diversity – mix it up (incorporating a variety of crops and plant species enhances soil biodiversity, improves nutrient cycling, and reduces pest and disease pressures).
  4. Continual live roots – keep roots growing year-round (maintaining living roots in the soil supports soil microorganisms, stabilizes soil structure, and improves nutrient cycling).
  5. Livestock integration – animals as partners in soil health (thoughtful integration of grazing animals recycles nutrients, stimulates plant growth, and contributes to soil fertility and ecosystem balance).
  6. Context – fit the practice to the place (adapting practices to local climate, soil type, topography, and operational goals ensures that soil health strategies are effective, practical, and sustainable).

Since its launch in 2021, the CSHP has supported over 400 producers across the state as they work to integrate these soil health principles into their ag operations. Beyond working directly with farmers and ranchers, the program places a strong emphasis on partnerships with conservation districts, grower groups, and research institutions. These organizations possess an unparalleled understanding of regional conditions and the specific needs of local producers, allowing them to apply these soil health principles in context.

The CSHP also collaborates with research institutions to evaluate the effectiveness of soil health practices in the arid West and to examine the social factors influencing producers as they adopt new farming approaches. A central research focus is the relationship of soil health practices and water management across arid agricultural landscapes to conserve water, increase efficiency, and enhance the water holding capacity of the soil.  

Colorado continues to make significant investments in farmers and ranchers. New funding opportunities are available, and the CSHP can connect you with local resources and support networks to help you take advantage of them.

Reach out to learn more and explore how these opportunities can benefit your operation at cda_soil@state.co.us.