The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) has announced funding for 15 projects aimed at helping farmers and ranchers adapt to the impacts of climate change through its new Climate Resilience Grant Program. The initiative is managed by CDA’s Agricultural Drought & Climate Resilience Office (ADCRO).
Commissioner of Agriculture Kate Greenberg said, “The agricultural community is often the first to feel the impact of our changing climate and there is clearly a need for increased funding to help recover from and prepare for these potential disasters. The inaugural round of applications for the Climate Resilience grant demonstrated a high degree of interest and innovation from our producers.”
The program supports agricultural operations that have experienced or are at risk of experiencing disasters related to climate change, such as droughts, wildfires, and severe winter storms. In its first year, CDA received 100 applications from 40 counties requesting more than $2.5 million in total funding. Following a competitive review process, 15 projects were selected for grants totaling $338,000.
One project in Saguache County will focus on revegetating dewatered cropland with new seed mixes and minimal tillage methods to allow grazing. Benjamin Schmidt, one of the grant recipients, stated: “As a farmer in the San Luis Valley, I am no stranger to the reality that lack of water is forcing many farmers to irrigate less land, often leaving land fallow. The funding from the Climate Resilience grant will allow us to revegetate a dewatered crop circle, using a new seed mix and a minimum till drill, and use it for grazing. We hope that this project will not just be a success for our field, but an example that we and our neighbors can use on other fields as we have to continue drying up more irrigated land.”
Other funded projects include installing water lines and tanks in Washington County; removing slash piles in Lake County; conducting irrigation audits and upgrading equipment via the Mancos Conservation District; providing seeds and technical assistance in Conejos County for conversion to dryland hay; among others. Grantees are expected to report on outcomes and challenges throughout implementation.
Annual funding cycles are planned with applications reopening in early 2026. More information about funded projects is available on CDA’s website.
Environmental stewardship initiatives like this grant program are part of CDA’s ongoing efforts to encourage voluntary adoption of climate resilience practices across Colorado agriculture sectors by offering financial support, technical assistance, research opportunities, as well as promoting farm energy generation strategies.
