Washington, D.C. – Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today announced the next round of Farm Bill listening sessions with his staff, which will be held in April in the San Luis Valley, Western Colorado, and the Denver area. Bennet is partnering with local producers and agricultural organizations to hold more than two dozen staff-led listening sessions across the state in advance of his work on the next Farm Bill.
Bennet, a member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, held similar meetings with farmers and ranchers that informed his work on the 2014 Farm Bill. The 2014 Farm Bill provided new resources to rural communities, cut red tape by streamlining dozens of programs, and reduced the deficit. The bill also included important initiatives to improve forest health, reduce the risk of wildfires, and strengthen conservation programs.
“The listening sessions we’ve held this month with staff and agricultural leaders have already provided helpful input to guide our priorities for the next Farm Bill,” Bennet said. “Colorado farmers and ranchers – from the Eastern Plains to the Western Slope to the San Luis Valley – are welcome to come and help us build upon our previous work. Ideas from Coloradans are crucial to crafting legislation that will support our state’s agriculture and rural communities.”
The Farm Bill governs our national food and farm policy, including crop insurance, nutrition, and conservation, and is typically reauthorized every five years. Lawmakers in the House and Senate Agriculture committees are beginning to develop the next Farm Bill, before the current measure expires in late 2018.
The listening sessions will gather members of the agricultural community to meet with policy advisors and regional liaisons from Bennet’s staff. Times and locations for the full listening tour (including sessions already held, for reference) are listed below.
Space is limited, so please RSVP with this link.
March 20
Fort Collins
11:30am – 1:00pm
CSU Agricultural Research, Development and Education Center
CoBank Building
4616 NE Frontage Rd., Fort Collins, CO 80524
Greeley
2:30 – 4:00pm
Eckhardt Farms
21454 County Rd. 33, LaSalle, CO 80645
March 23
Yuma
9:30 – 11:00am
Weathers Family Farms
11600 U.S. Highway 34, Yuma, CO 80759
Sterling
1:00 – 2:30pm
Northeastern Junior College
Hays Student Center, Tennant Art Gallery
100 College Ave., Sterling, CO 80751
Fort Morgan
3:30 – 5:00pm
Quail Ridge Dairy
13500 County Road 21, Fort Morgan, CO 80701
March 28
Burlington
10:30am – 12:00pm
Midway Theater and Cultural Event Center
446 14th St., Burlington, CO 80807
Limon
2:00 – 3:30pm
Limon Community Building
North Room
477 D Ave., Limon, CO 80828
March 29
Walsh
9:00 – 10:30am
Walsh Community Building
100 N. Colorado St., Walsh, CO 81090
Lamar
1:00 – 2:30pm
Lamar Community College
Buchanan Events Room
2401 S Main St., Lamar, CO 81052
La Junta
3:30 – 5:00pm
Otero Junior College
Student Center Banquet Room
2001 San Juan Ave., La Junta, CO 81050
March 30
Trinidad
9:00 – 10:30am
Mount Carmel Community Center
Ziccardi Hall
911 Robinson Ave., Trinidad, CO 81082
Avondale
1:00 – 2:30pm
McHarg Park Community Center
405 2nd Ln., Avondale, CO 81022
April 4
La Jara
9:00 – 10:30am
Knights of Columbus Hall
521 Spruce St., La Jara, CO 81140
Mosca
1:00 – 2:30pm
Valley Roots Food Hub
5401 Terry St., Mosca, CO 81146
Monte Vista
4:00 – 5:30pm
Nino’s Restaurant
118 Adams St., Monte Vista, CO 81144
April 7
Lakewood
9:00 – 10:30am
Everitt Farms
9400 W Alameda Ave., Lakewood, CO 80226
April 11
Craig
9:00 – 10:30am
Moffat County Extension Office
Community Room
539 Barclay St., Craig, CO 81625
Steamboat
2:30 – 4:00pm
Steamboat Springs Community Center
1605 Lincoln Ave., Steamboat Springs, CO 80487
April 12
Grand Junction
9:00 – 10:30am
Old Mesa County Courthouse
Multiple Purpose Room
544 Rood Ave., Grand Junction, CO 81501
Hotchkiss
1:30 – 3:00pm
Delicious Orchards
39126 Highway 133, Hotchkiss, CO 81419
April 13
Delta
9:00 – 10:30am
Delta County Courthouse
Room 234
501 Palmer St., Delta, CO 81416
Montrose
1:30 – 3:00pm
Montrose County Fairgrounds (Pioneer Room)
1001 N 2nd St., Montrose, CO 81401
Nucla
5:00 – 6:30pm
First Park Community Center
1045 Main St., Nucla, CO 81424
April 14
Cortez
9:00 – 10:30am
Dolores Water Conservancy District
60 Cactus St., Cortez, CO 81321
Durango
2:30 – 4:00pm
La Plata County Administration Building
Board Room
1101 E 2nd Ave., Durango, CO 81301