Jun 24, 2020

Input gathered in Colorado to establish statewide Soil Health Program

June 23 marked the second annual National Soil Health Day, and the one year anniversary of the Colorado Collaborative for Healthy Soils (CCHS), a farmer- and rancher-led coalition, created in part to maximize participation by the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s (CDA) stakeholders. For the past year, members of CCHS have been gathering input from ag producers across the state to help CDA build a new statewide, voluntary Soil Health Program. 

In celebration of these soil health events, CDA invites input from farmers and ranchers to help finalize the framework for a new statewide Soil Health Program that will assist agricultural producers in improving the resilience and productivity of their land. Feedback may be submitted here.

Building strategic partnerships is a key component of the program, and CDA continues to strengthen partnership opportunities with coalitions like CCHS, as well as public entities such as the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), and the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts.

Improving soil function offers numerous important co-benefits such as purifying water quality, enhancing the capture of available moisture, and advancing climate resilience.  Economically, supporting agricultural practices that benefit greater soil function will help position agricultural producers to participate in private ecosystem services markets where they may be compensated for the environmental benefits resulting from their conservation activities. 

For more information about CDA’s forthcoming Soil Health Program, please contact Cindy Lair, State Conservation Program Manager.