Colorado Ag Connection | November 2020 |
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This is a time of year to reflect and give thanks for an abundance of food and to the many producers and agricultural workers who labor to bring us that food from the field to our plates. While more frequent moments of gratitude have been a little harder to come by this year, people in communities near and far have realized how truly critical the farmers, ranchers and those at every stop along the food supply chain are to our lives.
Here at CDA, we’re thankful for the opportunity to stand with Colorado’s ag producers, and to support them, particularly in such challenging times. The recent release of the 2020 Colorado State Fair Annual Report and Governor’s proposed State Budget with significant funding designated for rural areas underscore the value and appreciation that CDA and others place on the communities we serve.
Additionally, on this eve of our nation’s annual recognition of our military veterans, I want to express my gratitude to the millions of veterans who have served, and to the thousands of veterans in Colorado who work in agriculture. Thanks to the addition of a new category in the most recent USDA Census of Agriculture, Producers with Military Service, we know that more than 8,000 military veterans work in Colorado agriculture. Yours is truly a life of service and I am thankful for the opportunity to honor that this Veteran’s Day. Find more information about veterans in ag through the resources on our CDA website.
May your harvest be fruitful and may your Thanksgiving be safe and happy. As always, thank you for your support of Colorado agriculture.
Sincerely,
Kate Greenberg
Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture
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Colorado Agriculture 2020 Photo Contest Now Open |
Photographers of all skill levels are invited to participate in the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s “Best in Show” Photography Contest, celebrating the spirit of Colorado agriculture. Images representing the diversity of Colorado agriculture are welcome and encouraged, including crops, livestock, farmers’ markets, people, harvest, urban agriculture and drone/overhead shots.
Entries must be submitted by December 31, 2020 to the Colorado Department of Agriculture via e-mail and include an official online entry form submission. All photographs must be taken in the 2020 calendar year and should relate to Colorado agriculture in some way. Entries will be reviewed by professionals in the fields of communications and agriculture and judged on theme, creativity and technical quality. LEARN MORE
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2021 Proposed State Budget Includes Major Investments in Rural Colorado
Rural Colorado will benefit in a number of significant areas from the Governor’s proposed Colorado State Budget as it drives economic recovery and stimulus. Initiatives in the budget will protect funding for high priority programs and services in rural communities, and support the implementation of a cohesive economic development plan for rural Colorado.
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Ag Department’s Soil Health Initiative Progresses with New Federal Partnership
CDA’s Conservation Services Division has announced the signing of a five-year, $5 million agreement between the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Colorado State Conservation Board, housed within CDA. The agreement creates new employee roles to bring new voluntary conservation and regenerative agricultural assistance programs for ag producers to incorporate into their operations.
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Iconic Times for Colorado Agriculture:
2020 Learnings and 2021 Futureproofing
Governor Jared Polis, Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg and Colorado’s foremost agriculture experts will lead a keynote, panel discussion, Q&A and complex conversation, sharing learnings from an unprecedented 2020 year of disruption, while revealing predictions, trends and strategies for 2021 and beyond. Registration information is coming soon.
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Colorado’s Specialty Crop Industry Receives $850,000 in USDA Grant Funds
CDA is pleased to announce the recipients of more than $850,000 in grant funding to support Colorado’s specialty crop industry. Specialty crops include fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, and horticulture, greenhouse, and nursery plants. This year’s recipients are diverse in crop, location, and project scope, and include ongoing projects as well as multiple first-time applicants.
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Colorado Winter Squash Makes the Holidays Delicious
Butternut squash takes the main stage for November’s Colorado Proud Recipe of the month! Grown throughout Northern Colorado, the butternut has a beige color and is shaped somewhat like an oblong bell or vase with a fine textured, orange flesh with a sweet, nutty flavor. Typically, the more orange the squash, the riper it is, meaning it will likely be drier and a little sweeter. FULL RECIPE HERE
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Ask CDA: Eight Divisions to Serve You |
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Colorado Department of Agriculture
303-869-9000
305 Interlocken Parkway
Broomfield, CO 80021
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