Agricultural base makes Colorado proud

Agriculture in Colorado is a $16 billion industry, providing more than 105,000 statewide jobs, from ranching to farming to processing. Colorado has more than 30,000 farms and ranches covering 31.3 acres, and, considering the total land in Colorado encompasses 66.3 million acres, agriculture stands

Thirty of Colorado's agricultural products rank in the top 10 among other states in the U.S. Colorado's production of summer lettuce ranks number three in the country; carrots and potatoes are number four in production; Colorado pears, sweet corn and Rocky Ford cantaloupe are ranked number six; and Western Slope peaches are in the number eight spot.

The number one agricultural commodity in Colorado is cattle, and the overall Colorado cattle and calf production ranks tenth in the U.S. - Texas is the top dog in this category. However, the state's cattle-on-feed production ranks number four in the country.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture developed a statewide campaign, the Colorado Proud program, in 1999 to promote Colorado's agriculture base and the products yielded by farmers and ranchers.

Governor Owens proclaimed August "Colorado Proud Month," and the program's tagline "better for you, better for Colorado" reminds locals of the benefits of purchasing homegrown products.

Wendy White is a marketing specialist with the Colorado Department of Agriculture, and she heads up the Colorado Proud program. Buying Colorado not only supports our statewide economy, but also means healthier consumer products, said White.

Buying Colorado means the products are fresher because they are harvested and delivered immediately to local retailers, decreasing the time in transport and eliminating storage periods.

To participate in the Colorado Proud program, at least 50 percent of the ingredients in all products must be grown, raised or processed in this state, said White. "Most of the Colorado Proud products are food related, but soaps, herbs and other products can qualify if they meet the 50 percent rule."

The Colorado Proud program picked up where the former statewide promotion "Always Buy Colorado" left off. The latter is no longer in existence.

The difference between the two programs, said White, is the Always Buy Colorado program included all Colorado-made products, and Colorado Proud products are strictly agriculturally based.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture recently conducted a survey of Coloradoans' buying habits, and 92 percent of Colorado residents surveyed said they preferred to buy Colorado homegrown products.

The Colorado Proud program has 420 members, from ranchers to restaurants to gift basket companies, all committed to producing and selling Colorado products. Restaurants such as Colorado Springs' 32 Bleu, La Baguette and La Petite Maison are members of Colorado Proud. Colorado producers include Kokopelli - peaches; Grant, Domenico and Lippis Farms - organic leaf vegetables, squash, onions, peppers and more; and Osage Garden - organic herbs. Rocky Mountain Pumpkin Farm is known not only for its pumpkins, but also for its green beans and peppers. Green Giant is the Colorado producer of organic spuds.

Wild Oats, a Colorado-based premier health food chain, sells Colorado products because of the "support given to local growers and the reduced food miles, which lessens the environmental impact," said Sonja Tuitelle, director of corporate communications for Wild Oats.

Wild Oats promotes quality and organic foods, and many Colorado companies are dedicated to providing natural and healthy products, like the Colorado-based Coleman Company, producers of all-natural beef.

Wild Oats carries the Coleman meats in its line of 15,000 products. "Many of the smaller companies have promoted their Colorado all-natural products through Wild Oats before marketing to large grocery stores," said Tuitelli.

Colorado companies Horizon Organic and White Wave originally sold their products exclusively in Wild Oats, and the Boulder Wild Oats stores were recently the first to carry Izze Sodas, a Colorado company that offers 100 percent natural, fruit-based, carbonated sodas.

"We also support local artisans, who produce soaps or other sundries," said Tuitelli. "Wild Oats mission statement is 'to reduce the negative impact on the environment and support the local economy.' Farmer's markets are popular now because people have issues around food safety - they want to know, from farm to fork, how their food is produced and processed."

Wild Oats' beginnings date back to 1987, and the store now has 12 locations in Colorado and 101 stores nationwide. A 13th store is planned for the east side of the Springs - a Wild Oats on Powers Boulevard near Constitution is scheduled to open in January 2004.

Agriculture is the backbone of Colorado, and supporting homegrown products sustains family farms, bolsters the economy and preserves Colorado's rich land and western heritage. "We are all connected to agriculture through our family trees," said White.

For more information on the Colorado Proud program, visit the website at www.coloradoproud.org.