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What's New with the Soil Health Program?

Upcoming Events 

CWCB Climate & Water Workshops | April 23 in Grand Junction

The Colorado Water Conservation Board is hosting two free workshops in April about Climate and Water. Hear from multiple state agencies about their climate and water resources. And engage in table-top exercises about climate adaptation strategies. 

2025 Carbon Finance Bootcamp + Community Engaged Carbon Development Workshop | May 12-15 | CSU SPUR, Denver

The Carbon Finance Bootcamp at CSU offers a world-class educational experience combining university resources with industry connections. The program includes three days of in-person learning and a workshop on community engagement.

 

Email cda_soil@state.co.us to have your event featured here!

 

Grants & Other Soil Health Engagement Opportunities

USDA Emergency Commodity Assistance Program | Applications open until August 15

The Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP) provides economic assistance payments to eligible agricultural commodity producers for the 2024 crop year. USDA’s Farm Service Agency is issuing up to $10 billion in direct payments to eligible agricultural producers. These one-time economic assistance payments will help commodity producers mitigate the impacts of increased input costs and falling commodity prices. 


New Agrarian Wellness Training Program | Applications Accepted on a Rolling Basis 

Quivira Coalition and AgWell (an initiative of the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union) have partnered to offer a peer-to-peer wellness training program and support network. Participants will gain the ability to recognize, understand, and address behavioral health challenges, which will then prepare them to implement supportive measures within their own networks and facilitate sessions that support their own communities.

Good Farmer Award | Apply by March 22nd 11pm ET

The inaugural Good Farmer Award U.S. is dedicated to celebrating an exemplary ‘Beginning Farmer’ who advances ecologically sound agricultural practices, builds biodiversity on-farm, and fosters resilience, sustainability, and social equity. The award is funded by the Rodale Institute and the DAVINES Group and consists of $10k and a fully paid trip to the European Regenerative Organic Center (EROC) in Parma, Italy. 

Zero Foodprint 

The Zero Foodprint logo is a circle with a hand carrying a serving tray that holds a globe.

Winner of the James Beard "Humanitarian of the Year" Award, Zero Foodprint (ZFP) is a nonprofit mobilizing the food world around agricultural climate solutions. Learn about their work and apply for the Restore Grant here.


Watch: Restore Colorado Producer Webinar
Watch: Restore Program Webinar June 2023

 

Hold Your Ground logo which features a pair of hands holding a sprouting plant and the CDA logo which features a red barn.Soil Health at Work

Hold Our Ground Film Series

The first episode in a three-part documentary film series highlighting the innovative work of Colorado producers in building healthy soil and more resilient agricultural systems. 
Watch here: 

E1: Farmers on Soil Heath 

E2: Ranchers on Soil Health

E3: Hold Our Ground
 

Audubon Rockies 

With funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Audubon Conservation Ranching staff helped enhance soil and reseed native plants on a degraded pasture of the Rafter W Ranch, an Audubon-certified ranch in eastern Colorado. These restoration techniques help the ranch retain water, which should increase its drought resilience and long-term biodiversity. Monitoring during the first growing season found increased plant growth and reduced soil compaction. 
Learn about a soil restoration project through the Conservation Ranching Initiative: Rafter W Ranch Article & Video