Dozen new state positions being added in Colorado’s soil conservation services

USDA to provide $5 million over five years for expansion

The Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Services Division has signed a five-year, $5 million agreement between the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Colorado State Conservation Board, housed within CDA, according to a news release.

The agreement creates new employee roles to bring new voluntary conservation and regenerative agricultural assistance programs for agricultural producers to incorporate into their operations.

“We’ve had a good relationship with the Colorado Department of Agriculture and expanding our agreement for technical assistance funding helps us achieve our mutual goals for soil health and expand our focus to include urban agricultural producers and military veterans,” said Clint Evans, Colorado State Conservationist for NRCS.

The new expansion of federal and state agency collaboration is an initiative to make progress toward

Colorado’s soil health and conservation goals addressed in the Colorado Water Plan and the state’s Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap.

“Our state’s farmers and ranchers are leaders in the stewardship of Colorado’s agricultural land,” said Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg. “The fruits of this agreement will provide support to help them be successful in vol

untary and incentivebased efforts to maintain and enhance the health of Colorado’s soil.”

Specifically, the funding will provide 75% support for 25 existing conservation jobs, and up to six new conservation jobs, throughout the state. The agreement also expands funding for existing conservation technical assistance jobs and will eventually add five new positions to support the CDA’s Soil Health Initiative. Further, it will create an Urban Agricultural Specialist within the Department of Agriculture to help small urban and peri-urban agricultural operations implement water and soil conservation practices and boost production.