It’s no secret that Colorado’s natural beauty is a major attraction, for residents and visitors, life-long or new arrival. Our natural and public lands are a significant reason why Colorado’s population has grown by nearly 15% over the last decade. According to a 2019 Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, 92% of Coloradans participate in outdoor recreation at least once every few weeks, and our hunting opportunities, public lands to explore, and ski resorts are appreciated worldwide. The land also serves another purpose at least as important to the state’s identity and economy – agriculture.

Colorado’s diverse agriculture and food industry generates around $40 billion in economic activity every year. Nationally, Colorado ranks in the top ten in production of nearly 25 commodities, from cattle and calves to orchard fruits, grapes, and melons. At our small operation we run a dairy herd and produce high-quality artisanal goat cheeses – including Manchego, cheddar, feta and chevre which is sold at our farm store and in stores and markets across the Western Slope.

Unfortunately, farmers and ranchers in Colorado are facing daunting challenges related to climate change, especially persistent drought. Water levels in the state’s reservoirs, as they are across the Colorado River Basin, are way down. Hotter weather means drier ground and more evaporation, both of which make it harder for precipitation to reach its destination. The results are already being felt. Ditches are being shut off early. Storage is far below capacity. That’s all punctuated by an announcement from the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Farm & Ranch Enterprise that it had to lay off half its workers, only planting one-tenth of the amount of corn that it had been able to in prior years. Hotter temperatures are also difficult for our goats, and everything needs more water as the world heats.

Good land stewardship can make a real difference when it comes to protecting water resources. And it’s increasingly clear that we are going to have to change the ways that we conserve our lands. Thankfully, we already have programs in place to do that. Within the Farm Bill that Congress passes every five years is funding for critical programs that enable agricultural operators to protect high-priority farm and ranch lands, improve water quality, enhance wildlife habitat and much more.

Regrettably, these conservation programs are routinely oversubscribed. Nationally, as many as 75% of qualified applicants are turned away, which means that demand for conservation on 13.8 million acres goes unmet. Ample investment in these programs is crucial to fighting climate change, supporting rural communities, and ensuring a sustainable environment.

That investment could happen shortly, as these programs are on track to receive a little over $27 billion as part of President Biden’s Build Back Better agenda. However it may be passed in the Congress, as part of a reconciliation package or otherwise, this funding would be a historic investment in the future of America’s farms and has been endorsed by a coalition of over 160 farmer, rancher, sportsmen, and wildlife groups. Both of Colorado’s U.S. Senators, Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, have expressed support for the bill and its conservation and climate provisions.

One program set to receive a significant increase in funds through the Build Back Better bill is the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). A critical program in Colorado, EQIP promotes agricultural production and environmental quality by providing assistance to agricultural producers and non-industrial forest managers to deliver environmental benefits. Since the beginning of the program, over $190 million have been granted to Coloradans for the purpose of building or improving irrigation systems or water control and management.

To address the issue of healthy habitats for Colorado, the Working Lands for Wildlife Program, which is also funded through the Farm Bill, focuses on conservation efforts to boost land productivity, which enriches wildlife habitats. Among species in decline that the program is successfully rehabilitating in Colorado are native Colorado cutthroat trout, sage grouse and the Lesser Prairie Chicken,

Working Lands for Wildlife does not only help the animal species it targets for habitat protection and restoration. Landowners benefit by lowering their input costs and improving efficiency and yields, and the program protects critical landscapes for the public too. These programs also support hunters and anglers by preserving lands, waters and habitats. And these practices also create other environmental benefits for everyone, such as cleaner water and air and healthier soil – all to help to mitigate against climate change.

Although recent news has reported its demise, the Build Back Better investment would be a once-in-a-generation opportunity for rural America to be put in the driver seat and to fundamentally improve conservation across the country. And it is too soon to give up on this important effort that would benefit rural Americans and communities across the nation. Colorado should be grateful U.S. Sens. Hickenlooper and Bennet support these investments and are committed to delivering for our farmers and ranchers. I hope their colleagues in the U.S. Senate, whichever side of the aisle they come from, will not let this setback deter them from doing good for our farmers and ranchers and will support these historic investments.

David & Suanne Miller established Western Culture Creamery & Farmstead in Paonia in 2015 and became USDA licensed in 2018. They are committed to producing the highest quality goat cheese from their small sustainable farm on the Western Slope.