REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
NOURISHING PEOPLE & PLANET
Regenerative agriculture draws carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and helps to restore the carbon cycle, making it one of the most effective climate solutions. By storing more carbon and retaining more water, healthy soil improves the quality of our food and water, increases the resilience of our land and combats rising global temperatures.
It is clear that the agricultural community deeply values soil health and can help accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture with the right knowledge, resources, capacity and technical expertise. The Coalition’s regenerative agriculture group works to overcome these challenges and provide the resources needed through fundraising, educational farm tour programming and policy work to elevate legislation that supports regenerative food systems.
OUR PROJECTS
Healthy Soils Challenge
The Coalition partnered with the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) and Zero Foodprint (ZFP) to develop and promote a statewide Healthy Soils Challenge grant funding opportunity. Zero Foodprint—a California-based nonprofit—is mobilizing restaurants and other food businesses to help farmers implement regenerative practices through grants. The Healthy Soils Challenge enables the food sector to contribute directly to these grants by adding a few cents to every meal they serve. This public-private collaboration includes a wide list of partners. The Coalition was a catalyzing force in visioning, creating and launching the healthy soils fund by cultivating donors, sponsors and Healthy Soils partners including connecting CDA and ZFP. The ZFP model and the Healthy Soils Fund can be replicated in any community, state or country.
Regenerative Farm Tours
Food and agriculture can be a tool to foster community, bridging the divide between urban and rural landscapes and more deeply connecting the public to their food sources. The Coalition hosts an annual series of urban and rural farm tours to help build the regenerative agriculture network and awareness of regenerative agriculture practices and practitioners across Colorado. This newfound collaboration has helped relieve strain on budding practitioners while increasing innovation for experienced practitioners.
Past farms toured include Altius Farms, Frontline Farming, Elk Run Farm, Yellow Barn Farm, Calder Farm, Mountain Roots Community Farm, Gunnison Gardens, Parker Pastures, Iola Valley Farms and Western Colorado University Organics Guild.
GET INVOLVED
The Coalition’s Regenerative Agriculture Group is continually working to build and support a regenerative food system. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Join The Coalition today to be part of this important work!
