BROOMFIELD, Colo. — Agriculture Week is just around the corner, and Colorado is getting ready to celebrate the crucial role agriculture plays in our state’s diverse economy, heritage, and culture. In all corners of the state, anyone can join as we celebrate the bounty of Colorado agriculture between March 17-23. 

The Colorado Department of Agriculture will hold a public forum on the Front Range on March 19 to give communities around the Denver metro area a chance to meet department staff, ask questions, discuss urban agriculture, and learn more about CDA’s programs. 

The Colorado Agricultural Commission will meet in Denver on March 20, 2024, near the Colorado State Capitol to celebrate the proclamation of March 20 as Colorado Agriculture Day. Ag Commission members will join the Colorado State Senate and later meet with Governor Polis as he issues the proclamation. 

Additionally, CDA is co-sponsoring the 2024 Colorado Coalition to Enhance Working Lands (COCEWL) summit in the San Luis Valley, with events over two days at the Rio Grande Farm Park Education Center in Alamosa and Jones Farms Organics in Hooper. The event is meant to help SLV producers share ideas about how to respond collectively to shared challenges while enhancing working lands.

As the agency grows, CDA’s goal has been to increase outreach to agricultural communities by connecting directly with the people who live in those communities. In addition to the Colorado Agricultural Commission, the agency has hired two Regional Assistant Commissioners, who represent CDA at events across the state. 

CDA’s Regional Assistant Commissioner Jo Stanko, who lives and operates a cattle ranch in Routt County, will participate in the Community Agriculture Alliances Ag Appreciation Week, which has activities each day of National Ag Week, including farm tours, community breakfast, storytelling, and more. 

Agricultural Commission member David Blach, whose Yuma County farm and ranch have been in his family for five generations, will speak about CDA’s programs and goals during the Yuma County Ag Week Town Hall on Friday, March 22. For more information, please visit YumaCountyAgWeek.com. 

What can others do to celebrate Colorado agriculture?

There are many ways to celebrate, including:

  • Visiting a local farm or ranch for a tour. 
  • Shopping at a local store for fresh, Colorado produce, meats, and other products marked with the Colorado Proud label. 
  • Cook a meal using local ingredients. Find products at ColoradoProud.com.
  • Learn about your nearest community garden, through your city, schools, or local organizations.
  • Visit an agricultural museum or exhibit, like the Agricultural Heritage Center at the Lohr-McIntosh Farm in Longmont or the Hutchinson Homestead in Salida, to learn about the history of farming in your region of Colorado.
  • Buy a share to receive local products through a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program near you.
  • Take some time outside to enjoy the natural beauty agricultural lands provide as open space and wildlife habitat, like the grain fields in San Luis Valley that host migrating sandhill cranes each March. 
  • Find a list of year round farm and ranch activities at Colorado.com.

No matter how you choose to celebrate, Agriculture Week is a great opportunity to connect with the food we eat and the people who produce it.