Rocky Mountain Voice

Tag: Colorado Farmers

Before blaming alfalfa for Colorado’s water woes, consider what the headlines leave out
Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

Before blaming alfalfa for Colorado’s water woes, consider what the headlines leave out

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project Alfalfa and water use: comparing apples to oranges There is a media narrative out there about alfalfa which, though not entirely wrong, is desperately in need of context; this being another example of why reporters parachuting into rural areas of the state to report on things prior to running back to the Front Range is doing no one any good (rural or urban). The claim was recently repeated in a Sun article, along with its natural follow-on. Quoting from the first link below: “It takes 44 inches of water a year in Burlington to grow alfalfa. Only about 10 inches of water drops on Burlington in a year. It only takes 15 inches of water to grow a healthy crop of black-eyed peas in Burlington. So. The numbers ...
Xcel Energy to Sell Former Power Plant Water to Colorado Farmers
Local, Approved, The Colorado Sun

Xcel Energy to Sell Former Power Plant Water to Colorado Farmers

By Jerd Smith | The Colorado Sun The deal, which could be worth more than $44 million, includes Colorado Springs Utilities and is expected to close early next year Xcel Energy will offer water it owns but no longer needs to farmers in the water-strapped Lower Arkansas River Valley, in an innovative deal advocates hope will help the struggling region regain control of vital water supplies and protect its agricultural economy. Under the preliminary terms of the proposal, valued at more than $44 million, Xcel will sell 12,500 acre-feet of water to a newly formed irrigation company, 70% of which will be owned by farmers and 30% of which will be owned by Colorado Springs Utilities. An acre-foot of water equals 326,000 gallons, enough to serve two to four urban households for one yea...
Colorado Agriculture Under Siege from Regulation and Rewilding
State, Approved, denvergazette.com

Colorado Agriculture Under Siege from Regulation and Rewilding

By Rachael Wright | The Denver Gazette Janie VanWinkle is contemplating something she never thought she’d ever consider — selling the family ranch after four generations of living and working in Colorado. “The political environment is so toxic that if we do speak up at all, it falls on deaf ears,” said VanWinkle, a Western Slope rancher. “This is no longer an agriculture-friendly environment or atmosphere. Five years ago, I could never imagine having this conversation with my family.” Colorado's agricultural industry is the state's second-largest economic driver, accounting for more than $47 billion in activity and employing more than 195,000 people. The export of Colorado cattle as of 2024 generated nearly $4.5 billion, making Colorado one of the 10 producers in the nation. Th...

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