Colorado State Flower: White and Lavender Columbine
Updates in 2024:
HB1249 [LS] Concerning a state income tax credit for active agricultural stewardship practices, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation; includes ““qualified stewardship practice” means any agricultural practice, as specified by rules issued by the commissioner of the department of agriculture, that may include a grazing or cropping practice that improves soil health, improves water retention and drought resilience, or creates more diverse and beneficial ecosystems while maintaining the productivity of the farm or ranch, including rotational crops, reduced tillage, no tillage, cover cropping, integrating managed livestock grazing on cropland, range improvements, interseeding, or compost application” – governor signed 5/24/2024
SB152 [LS] Regenerative Agriculture Tax Credit; includes “regenerative agriculture” means a conservation and rehabilitation approach to food and farming systems focused on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving the water cycle, enhancing ecosystem services, supporting biosequestration, increasing resilience to climate change, and strengthening the health and vitality of farm soil” – stalled in House committee
Updates in 2023:
SB092 [LS] Agricultural producers use of agrivoltaics; includes “minimize negative environmental impacts of photovoltaic energy production facilities on soil health…” – signed and enacted 5/18/2023
SB191 [LS] Colorado Department Of Public Health And Environment Organics Diversion Study; includes “diversion practices…in the case of compost, build healthy soils…” – signed and enacted 5/17/2023
Updates in 2022:
SB138 [LS], Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions In Colorado, includes “cover cropping for soil health” under definition for “agrivoltaics” – stalled
Updates in 2021:
SB21-235, stimulus funding for the soil health program and ACRE3 — passed June 3rd, signed into law 6/15/2021
HB21-1181, Creation of a Voluntary Soil Health Program — passed 6/7/2021, signed into law 6/21/2021
HB21-1180, Concerning measures to increase biomass utilization throughout the state; includes improving soil health — passed 5/21/2021, signed into law 7/7/2021
Legislative information
Date:
Introduced March 4, 2021.
Passed June 7, 2021.
Signed into law June 21, 2021
Legislation:
Sponsors:
Representative Karen McCormick
Representative Perry Will
Senator Cleave Simpson
Senator Faith Winter
Agencies Involved:
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Conservation Services Division
State’s Rule Making Processes:
The Department of Agriculture is tasked with developing and administering the program, with input from the advisory committee.
Program Summary
Description:
HB21-1181 “Concerning the Creation of a Voluntary Soil Health Program” was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis on June 21, 2021. This legislation gives Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) authority to launch a soil health program and sets up a state advisory board to oversee it. CDA also received $2 million in state stimulus funding to launch the program in its first year. This programming includes capacity funding for conservation districts to provide technical assistance, incentive payments for producers trying out new practices for the first time, free soil health testing, education and demonstration, and soil health research to investigate the connection between water availability outcomes and soil health practices. CDA is also bringing the Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources (STAR) program to a Colorado. STAR is a practice-based rating system that can structure conversations about soil health and provide a market signal for food grown regeneratively.
The act creates the voluntary Colorado Soil Health Program administered by the Department of Agriculture. The main component is a grant program for eligible entities, including agricultural producers, Native-American tribes, nonprofit organizations, research institutions, conservation districts and acequia or ditch corporations. In addition, the department is tasked with offering soil health testing, developing a system to monitor the environmental or economic benefits of soil health, and establishing a state soil health inventory.
The Commissioner of Agriculture appoints a soil health advisory committee with a minimum of a nine members representative of the state’s geographic areas, political and demographic diversity, including farmers and ranchers experienced in various production systems. The advisory committee assists in the development of the soil health program and makes recommendations for implementation or improvements to the department. The committee is also authorized to solicit input regarding the program, review proposals and agreements, and approve grants.
Soil Health Definitions:
“Soil Health” means the continued capacity of soil to function as a living ecosystem that sustains plants, animals and humans.
Stated Goals:
The goal of the Colorado Soil Health Program is “to encourage widespread adoption of soil health practices by agricultural producers, promote environmental benefits, and advance the understanding of the environmental and economic benefits of soil health practices.”
Program Required Measurements:
The department will develop monitoring and oversight procedures for the Soil Health Program.
Tools & Guidance:
N/A
Funding Sources
Founding Source/s:
The program is funded through the general fund. For the 2021-22 fiscal year, $4,464 has been appropriated to the Department of Agriculture to implement the program in addition to a $2M one-time allocation of federal stimulus funding (see Stimulus Funding Department Of Agriculture Efficiency Programs). The department can also accept gifts, grants, or donations from public and private sources. Federal funds may be used as a match.
Along with the stimulus funds covering the first year of the soil health program, the soil health program was awarded an EPA Section 319 Nonpoint Source Pollution grant. We have also applied for National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Conservation Partners Program grant funding and a Federal Conservation Innovation grant. The funding decisions for these grants will be announced in August and October, respectively. The CPP grant would expand the pilot program to four districts within the Republican River watershed; the Federal CIG would expand the program statewide to include 16 conservation districts and 4 other eligible entities.
Funding Type/s:
The department will provide grants, loans, and other resources to fund demonstration projects, education or research.
Practices Eligible for Funding:
The act defines soil health practices as “practices that may contribute to soil health” or apply one of the 5 soil health principles: “(a) maximizing soil cover; (b) reducing soil disturbance; (c) maximizing biodiversity; (d) maintaining a continual live plant or root in the soil; or (e) integrating best grazing livestock practices.”
Lessons Learned
Make sure to get all the right people in the room before deciding on a direction for the policy: producers and groups that represent producers as well as grower groups, state agencies, land grant universities and researchers, and nonprofits that associate with working lands. Central to this coalition is a producer-led effort, including organizations working on behalf of producers.
Important to have organizational capacity to take on leadership and provide someone with the ability to spend a significant amount of time working on policy and coalition building.
Focusing on voluntary, incentive based programming instead of pursuing mandates!
Having a big enough coalition and not coming across as adversarial allows groups on the fence to stay neutral instead of being in opposition.
Importance of working through existing infrastructure → the Colorado Healthy Soil Program works with the Conservation Districts, providing support for them through unrestricted funding without a match requirement. While initially not all districts might be equally enthusiastic or have capacity to pursue applying for the new program, once awarded funds can be spent in whatever way makes most sense per district, including on capacity building and hiring an employee for example.
One goal of the program is to create a gateway to other existing funding opportunities by providing technical and financial support for three years to try out new soil health practices. After that time, producers might be ready to apply for USDA/NRCS funding for example.
Consider working with existing programming in other states, e.g. NACD’s Soil Health Champions or the STAR Program.
Getting scientists and researchers in the same room as producers can be really powerful to address research needs, e.g. figuring out soil health measurements. It also helped to get momentum.
Leadership in the Dept. of Agriculture was central to the success of the policy. In an unconventional partnership, the department was open to having the coalition decide the shape of the program, while working closely together. Cindy Lair, Program Manager for the Colorado State Conservation Board in the Department of Agriculture was a key partner.
The success of the program depends on finding willing and enthusiastic partners and investing in them, including the Conservation Districts, NGOs and the State Conservation Board. Collaboration is essential!
Legislative information
Date:
Passed June 3rd, 2021
Signed into law on June 15th, 2021
Legislation:
Sponsors:
Senator Sonya Jaquez Lewis
Senator Kevin Priola
Representative Tracey Bernett
Representative Karen McCormick
Agencies Involved:
State’s Rule Making Processes:
Program Summary
Soil Health Definitions:
Stated Goals:
Program Required Measurements:
Tools & Guidance:
Funding Sources
Founding Source/s:
Funding Type/s:
Practices Eligible for Funding:
Lessons Learned
Legislative information
Died in Water Resources Review Committee.
Date:
August 2018
Legislation:
Sponsors:
No prime sponsor
Agencies Involved:
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment
Colorado Water Conservation Board
Office of Water Conservation and Drought Planning
Colorado State Conservation Board
Rule Making Processes:
To be determined
Program Summary
Description:
The Interim Committee Bill 10 would create a Healthy Soil Task Force with direction to prepare and publish recommendations on how to improve soil health in Colorado. The Bill specifically called for nine members to be on the Task Force and articulated the selection process. Bill 10 required the Task Force to establish healthy soil benchmarks, identify agricultural activities, policies, and best practices for Colorado. The Task Force must provide a report of its findings and recommendations to the state legislature by December 31, 2023.
There is no funding required or requested for the Bill as is. The members of the task force will not be compensated or reimbursed for their expenses and any financial support from the Colorado Department of Agriculture must be made within the department’s existing budget.
Soil Health Definitions:
“Soil with an enhanced and continued capacity to a) function as a biological system; b) hold water, nutrients and organic matter; c) maintain soil structure”
Stated Goals:
- Work with public and private stakeholders to establish healthy soil benchmarks for improving soil health in Colorado
- Identify appropriate criteria to measure baseline levels and improvements in soil health
- Identify agricultural activities, policies, and best practices
- Identify agricultural practices that improve soil health
- Teach, support, and promote the use of these agricultural practices
- Develop statewide policies that support the implementation of these practices
Program Required Measurements:
N/A
Tools & Guidance:
N/A
Funding Sources
Founding Source/s:
No additional funding was requested
Funding Type/s:
N/A
Practices Eligible for Funding:
N/A
Lessons Learned
N/A
Legislative Committee
House Committee: House Agriculture, Livestock, & Water Committee
Senate Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
State Universities & Researchers
Agricultural Organizations & Technical Assistance
Education & Advocacy Groups
Colorado’s Soil Health Program was developed with extensive feedback from the community through a process facilitated by the Colorado Collaborative for Healthy Soils (CCHS). The Collaborative is a forum for producers, researchers, service providers, and policymakers to come together to consider the best path forward for soil health policies and programs in Colorado. The Collaborative is open to new members and is seeking a broad mix of voices to represent the full range of Colorado farms and ranches. For more information, or to join the google group and listserv, contact soilhealthco@gmail.com.
Current members include:
American Farm Bureau Federation
Colorado Agricultural Water Alliance
Colorado Cattlemen’s Association
Colorado Coalition to Enhance Working Lands
Colorado Conservation Tillage Association
Colorado Department of Agriculture
Colorado Natural Resources Conservation Service
Colorado State Conservation Board
Colorado State University Extension
Denver Perennial Guild
National Young Farmers Coalition
NRCS Colorado Soil Health Partnership
People and Pollinators Action Network
Additional Advocacy Groups:
Media & Additional Resources
Regenerative Resources by Mad Ag
Colorado’s Soil Health Resource Guide by the Colorado Collaborative for Healthy Soils
Colorado Soil Health Program Announced on National Soil Health Day, Acres USA June 23, 2021
Supporting our farmers and ranchers through a voluntary soil health program, The Fencepost March 23, 2021
A Soil Health Program for Colorado, Colorado Livestock Association
Last Update: 04/02/2025