Colorado Soil Health Program
Our impact.
The Colorado Soil Health Program (CSHP) was a voluntary initiative launched in 2021 to help farmers and ranchers adopt conservation practices that built soil health and supported sustainable agriculture. It provided scientific, technical, and financial assistance to hundreds of producers, improving soil health and climate resilience across thousands of acres.
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Unfortunately, after enrolling 300 producers in the program and a full year of data collection, the Colorado Soil Health Program was unexpectedly defunded. The termination of the grant halted farmer and rancher support programs and any ongoing data collection.
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IN-RICHES strengthened the CSHP by supplying the scientific foundation for local technical support and guiding comprehensive assessments of soil health, climate impacts, and the socio-economic outcomes of conservation practices. This science-driven partnership ensured Colorado’s agricultural policies and programs were grounded in rigorous data and real-world results.
We measured soil health on farms and ranches across the region.
The Colorado Soil Health program resulted in an inventory of soil health on farms and ranches across the region. We created an interactive map showcasing farms and ranches participating in collaborative soil health research across Colorado and the broader Rocky Mountain region. Each point on the map represents a working agricultural operation where conservation data has been collected, including details on cropping systems, irrigation types, and soil health principles in use.
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Pathway to the Colorado Soil Health Program
2019
Ground Up Consulting and members of the IN-RICHES leadership team spearheaded the Colorado Collaborative for Healthy Soils. We led a stakeholder engagement process involving more than 250 farmers, ranchers, legislators, researchers and community members.
2021
House Bill 21-1181 established the Voluntary Soil Health Program within the Colorado Department of Agriculture, empowering the department to create a soil health inventory, monitoring program, and an advisory committee to support and evaluate soil health outcomes across the state.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture was selected for funding by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Project. The $25 million grant was an historic investment in Colorado agriculture to advance farmer- and rancher-led soil health solutions. A key aspect of this program was bringing the Saving Tomorrow's Agricultural Resources program to Colorado, enabling farmers and ranchers to be rewarded for their soil health innovations.
2022
2024
House Bill 24 - 1249 created a state income tax credit for farmers and ranchers who adopt qualified stewardship practices—such as cover cropping, reduced or no-tillage, rotational grazing, compost application, and other soil- and water-friendly practices. This initiative aims to reward producers who manage their land to improve soil health and enhance drought resilience while sustaining agricultural productivity.
2025
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Unfortunately, after enrolling 300 producers in the program and a full year of data collection, the Colorado Soil Health Program was unexpectedly defunded. The termination of the grant halted farmer and rancher support programs and any ongoing data collection.
Despite this setback, our dedication to advancing soil health management in Colorado has not faltered. We are actively pursuing funding opportunities to keep elements of the Colorado Soil Health Program alive.
