Plan Overview
Plan Information
Category | Database entry |
Plan Region | Colorado |
Publication Date | 2017 |
Entry reviewed by original author | Yes |
PDF attachment | View Full Report |
Plan Title | The Colorado Blueprint of Agriculture and Food |
Webpage | https://foodsystems.colostate.edu/research-impacts/colorado-blueprint/ |
Authors | Dawn Thilmany McFadden, Becca Jablonski, and Gregory Graff for the Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station via Colorado State University. |
Author Type | University |
Region Type | State |
Funding Sources for Plan Development | State University; State Government; Non-profit organizations/entities |
Plan Funders | Primary funder: Colorado Agricultural Experiment Station Support from other partners: Colorado Department of Agriculture; LiveWell Colorado; CO Food Systems Advisory Council; Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development; College of Agricultural Sciences at CSU; CSU Office of Engagement; CSU Extension and Outreach Food System |
Total Project Funding | Approximately $140,000 for the entire plan. |
Plan Goals | This document outlines eight central objectives as a means to “support community and economic development” across Colorado (pg. v). Their objectives are as follows, and were built upon six outlined “economic development issues that were laid out by the state’s Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT)” (pg. vi).: 1. Creating, retaining, and recruiting agricultural and food firms; 2. Developing workforce and youth to support agricultural and food sectors; 3. Promoting the Colorado brand, ensuring it reflects the unique qualities of the agriculture and food sectors; 4. Supporting a business- and consumer-friendly regulatory environment; 5. Addressing how scale impacts market performance, access, and opportunities; 6. Innovating and supporting new technology for agricultural and food businesses; 7. Improving access to resources and capital for agriculture and food firms; 8. Integrating agriculture and food with healthy, vibrant communities. |
Intended Audience | Policy makers, general public, and funders |
Plan Recommendation Structure | This 2017 project provides an economic overview of Colorado’s agricultural value chain, with a final section on “cross-cutting issues” that includes recommendations to support community and economic development. The information within this project is outlined as follows: 1) A blueprint of CO agriculture and food value chains; 2) Legal forms, numbers, and specialization of CO farms and ranches; 3) Inputs to production agriculture, including human capital, land and water capital, physical and financial capital; 4) Outputs to production agriculture, such as crops, animals, services and revenues; 5) Commodity marketing, processing, and manufacturing; 6) Wholesale; 7) Consumers and retail value chains; 8) Industry structure and scale; 9) Colorado communities; 10) Cross-cutting issues, which includes eight areas of growth and improvement within CO value chains and 2 -3 strategies to reach each growth area. |
Catalyst for Plan | Upgrading the 2013 Value Chain of Colorado Agriculture to include broader community input and upgraded data. Reorganization of the Governor’s Food Systems Advisory Council and internal food systems pieces at Colorado State University/Agricultural Experiment Station. |
Creation Process | This 2017 project updates and significantly expands on the 2013 Value Chain of Colorado Agriculture (see Supplemental Documents) to expand its reach and include a larger set of stakeholders and information. In order to do so, this project’s methodology includes: 1. An update on economic data and a deeper exploration of the Value Chain of Colorado; 2. An integration of results from the Colorado Department of Agriculture’s 2016 Public Attitudes survey on Agriculture in Colorado; 3. Community Engagement: 13 regional town hall meetings/listening sessions, including 250 individuals representing 148 organizations. Four industry town hall meetings including 110 attendees, representing 47 organizations. Ten public presentations, including 25-250 participants. Post public outreach, 395 individuals requested continued involvement in the creation of this project. Each of the regional listening sessions also involved compiling and reviewing all regional reports then preparing new individual regional reports. |
Theoretical Framework | N/A |
Theoretical Framework: Literature | Unspecified |
Development Timeline | 1 year |
Implementation Strategy | Unspecified |
Implementation Timeline | Unspecified |
Evaluation Strategy | Unspecified |
Current Plan Status | Unknown |
Government Adoption Status | Unknown |
Government Adoption Status (Notes) | N/A |
Supplemental Documents (to be attached within the AirTable) | View Supplemental Documents |