DENVER – Gov. John Hickenlooper was roused from his office Wednesday morning by a ruckus from a celebration of an often-overlooked facet of Colorado’s economy that contributes more than $40 billion annually: agriculture.
“I was taping a radio show in there about 40 minutes ago, and all the sudden we had to stop because it was so loud out here, and for a moment I wasn’t sure what was going on. Then, I said: ‘Now I remember; it’s Ag Day,’” Hickenlooper told a crowd gathered in the west foyer of the Capitol to taste farm fresh eats prepared by Denver-area chefs.
Agriculture Day, a yearly occurrence at the Capitol, is an opportunity to appreciate what the agricultural industry provides to the state and recognize it’s importance, particularly in light of the drop in commodity prices, which are the lowest in 50 years, Hickenlooper said.
“In 2007 and 2008 our agricultural economy helped take us out of the Great Recession, the worst recession since the Great Depression, and right now agriculture is going through their own trough,” he said.
Other clouds loom on the horizon for the agriculture world in the form of a $4.7 billion budget cut to the Department of Agriculture proposed by the Trump administration, and the governor mentioned that and said farmers and ranchers have a right to be upset.
“I think the rural Colorado agriculture community has a strong platform to say: ‘Hey, we worked hard; we helped elect you. Don’t cut the agriculture budget,’” Hickenlooper said.
Also Wednesday, a joint resolution was passed the Legislature showing its appreciation for agricultural producers.
“It’s important to remember how important agriculture is to our state and our country, and understand what it takes to be a farmer/rancher, what it takes to be involved in this industry where we have dirt under our fingernails, where we have combines with hail dents from the inside out because of frustrations of a ball peen hammer when things don’t go well,” said Sen. Jerry Sonneberg, R-Sterling. Sonneberg sponsored Senate Joint Resolution 23, which designates March 22, 2017, as Colorado Agriculture Day.
Several lawmakers, shared their connection to farms.
Sen. Kerry Donovan, D-Vail, said she is a first-generation farmer who is just becoming aware of the long hours it takes to care for her small plot of land and gathering of animals.
“Even though I run the smallest of the small ranches, I belong of one of the biggest families that this country has and that is the Ag family, and I am so proud to be a part of that family,” Donovan said.
Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, said she gained an appreciation of farm life from the time she spent moving around as a child and then working alongside of lawmakers from rural districts.
She added that she is reminded of what the agricultural community provides every time she goes to the grocery store and gets to pick from the fruits of their labors.
“That’s a convenience I get because of the contributions of so many farmers and ranchers. So, today I pay tribute, and I applaud the work of all farmers and ranchers in the state of Colorado and around our nation,” she said.
lperkins@durangoherald.com
