The Mesa Conservation District based in Grand Junction is among the conservation districts and other organizations joining in an expanding soil health program in Colorado.

A total of 21 conservation districts and seven other organizations have joined the list of administrating entities for the Saving Tomorrow’s Agricultural Resources (STAR) Plus program in the state.

Conservation districts and other organizations joined with the Colorado Department of Agriculture in the farmer and rancher-led initiative that connects producers expanding or implementing new soil health practices with local conservation experts. Launched in 2021, the Colorado STAR soil health program has grown to an estimated 300 producers.

Funding for the expansion comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Climate Smart Commodities grant, which invested a total of  $3.1 billion in 141 projects across the country. The Colorado Department of Agriculture was the only state ag department selected as a project lead.

“Local conservation partners are the key to providing regional expertise and on-the-ground support to producers investing in climate smart strategies. Increasing the staffing and capacity in local and regional offices across the state is a key component of CDA’s soil health program,” said Les Owen, conservation services division director at the Colorado Department of Agriculture. “Many Colorado farmers have been using soil health practices for a long time, while others have faced barriers to adoption. The STAR Plus program provides technical assistance and incentives so producers can try different methods to see what works best for them.”

The STAR program offers a free self-implemented practice-based rating system to Colorado producers to evaluate cropping and grazing practices and assign points for soil health practices.

Local partners administer the STAR Plus in cooperation with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, which provides grants to districts and other organizations so they can act as local experts and guides for farmers and ranchers enrolled in the program. Districts and other organizations also administer equipment grants and provide technical assistance to farmers and ranchers as they gain familiarity with new soil health practices.

“The STAR Plus program has proven a useful tool for our farmers and ranchers,”  said Vanessa McCracken, manager of the Boulder Valley and Longmont Conservation District. “The funding for soil health practices has encouraged producers to explore new climate smart strategies and helps the district provide any program or technical support they need.”