Colorado Department of Agriculture identified the need to better understand how: a) the citizens of Colorado viewed the agricultural industry as a whole; b) the public perceives emerging policies meant to support or influence the role of agriculture in Colorado; and c) and how the Department's own programs were valued.
If Colorado ranchers and farmers face an increased probability of extreme and recurring droughts, it is then important to determine the effect that drought has on the resiliency of farmers and ranchers, and the likelihood that continued assistance will be needed.
The period from September 9-16, 2013 saw unprecedented rainfall in many parts of Colorado, and 17 counties were significantly impacted by heavy rain and flooding. Based on on-site surveys of these areas, there were a number of acres inundated with flood waters. The water remained at a high level for 2-4 days in some areas. The flooded areas, estimated at 23,000 acres. The estimated value of the lost production is somewhere between $3.4 and $5.5 million. The flood resulted in many other losses for the farmers and ranchers.
Food security is a complex issue: limited resource households, distance to food markets and other barriers to securing adequate, safe and nutritious foods all combine to create a food landscape that may not be conducive to good health in our communities. Recent data from the Northern Colorado region suggest there is increasing need for food assistance from government, community and school programs. Data on food assistance, food stamps outlays, and reduced/free school lunch eligibility are consistent in illustrating increased need for programs to mitigate food insecurity during this economic downturn. Community gardens and efforts to "map" food assets are explored as new approaches to improve access to raw foods and appropriate food market outlets for those who might otherwise have their dietary choices constrained by what is readily available.
Colorado attitudes about food and agriculture includes a few key points: 1) There is broad-based agreement that agriculture is an important part of Colorado's economy, and its quality of life and serves the state well in providing safe food at a reasonable cost. 2) There are some minor differences in the strength of support and confidence between those who live or were raised on a farm and those without such background. 3) Agricultural production practices are generally believed to be usually necessary to feed the population and safe; however, this is one area where there is some level of disagreement among our citizens, particularly related to GMOs. 4) There appears to be a role for Colorado Department of Agriculture programs, information relayed through labels, produce calendars and contacts at food retail sites, and agritourism, so perhaps those educational options can be better coordinated in the future.
If Colorado ranchers and farmers face an increased probability of extreme and recurring droughts, it is then important to determine the effect that drought has on the resiliency of farmers and ranchers, and the likelihood that continued assistance will be needed.
Colorado has had the lowest adult obesity rate in the U.S., but is worsening from its status a decade ago. Because of the perceived link between food access, behavior and consumption, exploring connections between the food system and health/nutrition is warranted. The region has shown only slight improvement in two indicators of improved health behaviors -consuming enough fruits and vegetables and adequate physical activity- and all improvements made were in Weld County. Given some limited improvement in health outcomes, and evidence that targeted community programming was effective in Weld county, there may be reason to consider food system issues in future public health discussions.
The drought's impacts to the farm or ranch business are not contained within a single season. Much like reservoir levels that are drawn down and may take years to replenish, the impact of a drought can reduce a farm or ranch's equity position making it difficult to service debt or take advantage of future investment opportunities. Equity erosion may take years to rebuild.
This report investigates the role of instream flows as part of a program to protect and recover certain water-dependent endangered species. For the purposes of this report, instream flows are defined as non-consumptive, in-channel flows of water. We examined two case studies of endangered fish species programs that included instream flows, one on the upper Colorado River and one on the San Juan River. Cost savings with cooperative recovery programs are calculated. Scenarios involving increased instream flows are evaluated to estimate what the cost savings might be to water developers from additional instream flow appropriations and acquisitions by the Colorado Water Conservation Board.
