As everyone knows, we are in strange and trying times as farmers and ranchers in Colorado and in the country as a whole. I try and keep things in perspective and focus on the things I can have some effect on and not get too tied up in the things I don’t have control over.
As your new regional ag commissioner, my goal is to keep you informed on issues and programs offered to help you make a living in ag and also listen to your issues and ideas on how we can work together to make ag stronger and more resilient.
In the San Luis Valley, as well as elsewhere, water is on everyone’s mind whether they are in ag or not. We seem to be managing in the midst of crisis all the time.
On my own operation we have managed our land in ways that enable us to use a minimum amount of water to sustain our crops and leave water in the ground for the future.
The main focus of that effort is the amount of organic matter in the soil which translates into water holding capacity, ie. soil health.
Living roots are the key to managing that capacity. The STAR Plus program offered by CDA and your local Conservation districts is a way to begin building that capacity.
It started on a local level and has been adopted by CDA to help fund work on experiments that we might not have done otherwise.
We at CDA are excited to share those results with you as well as discuss new or better ways to farm or ranch. These are locally driven methods that your neighbors are working on using their experience and knowledge on their crops and land.
Animal health and welfare is also a big part of the focus of CDA, and the recent infection caused by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza or HPAI has been a big focus for the State Veterinarian’s office over the past year, with more than 6 million chickens lost in Colorado alone and likely more to come as we wait to see how the spring bird migration affects the number of cases.
One of the things this is teaching us is that we need to find more effective ways to deal with these potential outbreaks in other livestock, using any number of scientific methods and at the same time focusing on the root causes and finding ways to make our livestock more resilient and less vulnerable.
For me this opportunity to represent you to Commissioner Greenberg and the farmers and ranchers on the Colorado Ag Commission is an honor and I look forward to moving us forward into the future with real solutions to real problems.
Regional ag commissioner Saguache
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