Reversed horizontal Spur logo.

401: Colorado Grown

The below content replicates the content of the physical exhibit at CSU Spur. It can be used for reference, language translation, and additional accessibility.

Feeding the world

Colorado sends agricultural products to over 130 countries!

Western region
Mountain region
Front Range region
Eastern region
Southern region

Select a region on the map to learn more about its climate and agriculture.

WHAT grows in Colorado?
View products.

WHO helps grow our food? View jobs.

Western region

Over 300 days of sun

Western Colorado has warm sunny days and cool nights. This makes crops extra sweet and flavorful. Dry air and high altitude also mean fewer insect pests.

A few of the products from the Western region: peaches, wine grapes, beef cattle, dry beans, corn.

Mountain region

Great grazing and cool crops

The Rocky Mountains are great for cool-weather crops like lettuce and spinach. Grass and alfalfa hay thrive here, providing feed for livestock, which helps grazing sheep and cattle grow quickly.

A few of the products from the Mountain region: hay, wool, beef cattle, eggs.

Front Range region

Tradition and innovation

Traditional crops like sugar beets, millet, and sunflowers grow in the Front Range. Many Front Range farmers work with researchers to develop brand-new farm products.

A few of the products from the Front Range: sugar beets, flowers, millet, sunflowers, eggs.

Eastern region

The arid plains

Days are hot on the Eastern Colorado plains. Grains like wheat, sorghum, and oats grow well. Colorado’s largest beef cattle, hog, and dairy farms are also located here.

A few of the products from the Eastern region: dairy, hogs, wheat, millet, sorghum, field corn, alfalfa hay, beef cattle.

Southern region

Rocky Ford and more

Warm days and cool nights around Rocky Ford are perfect for veggies and fruit. In the San Luis Valley, over 150 family farmers grow potatoes.

A few of the products from the Southern region: potatoes, melons, Pueblo chiles, pumpkins, beans, beef cattle.

What grows in Colorado?

These are just some of the products grown or raised in Colorado. Select a product to learn more.

Beef cattle

Cattle need different care and diets at different ages. Farmers and ranchers often specialize in one age of an animal. A calf born at one farm or ranch might live at three different ranches as it grows up.

  • Beef ranching in Colorado: There are beef ranches all over Colorado. Beef is the top farm product in the state. Colorado beef goes to over 130 countries! The biggest customers are South Korea, Japan, Canada, Mexico, and China.
  • Special stomach: Cattle have a four-part stomach. This lets them digest tough plants into energy. They turn that energy into muscle and protein – which is the beef we eat.

Field corn

Colorado farmers grow a million and a half acres of corn every year! Ninety-nine percent of Colorado corn is field corn, also called “dent corn.” Dent corn gets made into hundreds of products, including food for people and animals.

  • Corn farming in Colorado: Corn is big all over the state. Most of the largest corn-growing counties are on the Western Slope and in the Eastern Plains. The top consumers of Colorado corn are cattle, chickens, and hogs.
  • Learn more! Go down to the 3rd floor to learn how corn becomes food, fuel, paint, clothing, and more.

Dairy

Dairy cows “recycle” all sorts of foods into milk. They can eat farm leftovers like potato peels and corn stalks. Farmers also feed their cows lots of grains, grass, and hay for a balanced diet.

  • Dairy farming in Colorado: Colorado’s northeast is home to many dairy cow farms. It has more water than the rest of the state, and dairy processing factories are nearby. Colorado sends milk and dairy products all over the world.
  • Recycling water: Dairy farms reuse water many times. The same gallon of water can cool milk, then clean the barn, and then water the crops.

Dry beans

Beans are great for a healthy diet. They are healthy for soil, too. Bean plants put nitrogen from the air into the soil. Farmers often alternate beans with crops that need lots of nitrogen, like corn and wheat.

  • Bean farming in Colorado: The northeast and southwest corners of the state are the leading bean-growing areas. CSU scientists and Colorado bean farmers are working together to find new, better ways to grow beans.
  • A global food: Worldwide, early farmers domesticated local beans. People today eat beans native to the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Eggs

Some chickens are raised for meat. Others for laying eggs. We call egg-laying chickens “hens”. About 70% of U.S. eggs are sold fresh. The rest go to “breaking plants,” or factories that sell egg whites and egg yolks as liquid or powder.

  • Egg farming in Colorado: You can find egg-laying hens all over Colorado, from small backyard flocks to large commercial farms.
  • Chicken origins: Most scientists think chickens descended from Asian red jungle birds. But they are still researching when people first domesticated chickens. Maybe you can help find the answer one day!

Flowers

Flowers are one of Colorado’s top 10 farm products! Some farms sell only to florists, people who arrange and sell flowers. Others sell to customers at farmers’ markets. You might live near a farm where you can cut your own flowers.

  • Floriculture in Colorado: There are flower farms scattered all across the state.
  • A versatile flower: Most flowers are pretty. But some flowers, like lavender flowers, are also grown for tea, food, or essential oils.

Hay

Hay is a plant that is cut and dried for animal food. Hay can be grass, a legume like clover or alfalfa, or a mix of plants. Cut hay first lies in the field to dry, then gets rolled or pressed into bales.

  • Hay farming in Colorado: Thanks to Colorado’s sunny weather, there is hay farming in 62 of our 64 counties. In the San Luis Valley, hay is the second-largest crop after potatoes.
  • Making bales: Baling makes hay easier to store and move. Hay can be baled in small squares, big rounds, or medium and large rectangles depending on its use.

Melons

Rocky Ford is Colorado’s “Melon Capital” for good reason. Hot summer days and cool nights help the melon plants develop sugars in the fruit. The Arkansas River provides the water that makes the melons juicy.

  • Melon farming in Colorado: Colorado’s melon farms are concentrated in the southeastern area of the state – especially in and around Rocky Ford. Colorado’s melons are so delicious, almost all of them are eaten by Coloradans!
  • Many melons and more: Rocky Ford farmers grow more than cantaloupes. They grow lots of veggies and many different types of melons. Rocky Ford’s first mayor grew watermelons.

Millet

Like all grains, millet is in the grass family. Proso millet is the most common millet in Colorado. It grows quickly and doesn’t need much water. Millet is food for people, livestock, and birds at the birdfeeder.

  • Millet farming in Colorado: Colorado’s Eastern Region is home to the largest millet growing area, located in the northeastern high plains.
  • Millet champ: Colorado is the top millet-producing state in the country. We grow over half of all U.S. millet.

Peaches

Peaches are famous in Colorado, especially Palisade peaches. Mesa County’s hot days and cool nights make these peaches extra sweet. CSU experts say Colorado peaches are the most valuable peaches in the country.

  • Peach farming in Colorado: Peach farmers in Western Colorado ship their peaches across the state. A few companies will even ship peaches out of state to home-sick Coloradans.
  • More orchard flavors: Peach-growing areas are great for all stone fruit, or fruits with pits in the center. Try Colorado apricots, plums, nectarines, and cherries.

Pigs

Pigs can live almost anywhere. They need shelter from extreme weather – but nothing fancy. Large hog farms feed pigs corn and soybean meal. Small farm pigs might also eat kitchen scraps and forage in fields.

  • Pig farming in Colorado: Yuma, Phillips, Sedgwick, and Prowers counties are home to the largest hog farms, but pigs are raised everywhere in Colorado. The largest international buyer of Colorado pork is Mexico.
  • Nine thousand years: People in ancient China and Turkey domesticated pigs from wild boars about 9,000 years ago!

Potatoes

Potatoes come from the Andes Mountains in South America. That’s why Colorado’s high altitude is perfect for growing potatoes. They grow especially well in the mineral-rich soil of the San Luis Valley.

  • Potato farming in Colorado: Colorado’s San Luis Valley is the second-largest producer of fresh potatoes in the U.S. And nearly 20% of Colorado potatoes are shipped to Mexico.
  • So many different potatoes! There are more than 4,000 varieties of potato in the world! Colorado farms grow over 70 varieties, including purple potatoes developed by CSU scientists.

Pueblo chiles

Colorado’s most famous hot pepper is the Pueblo chile, also called the Mira Sol. In fact, Pueblo chiles are grown only in Colorado! Hot sunny days and rich soil help make the chile pods spicy.

  • Chile farming in Colorado: Pueblo County, along with most of the Arkansas River Valley, is perfect for growing chiles.
  • Sunny side up: Most peppers hang down from the plant. Pueblo chiles grow pointing up towards the sun.

Wheat

Wheat is a member of the grass family. Different types of wheat produce different flours. Soft wheats are good for cakes and cookies. Colorado grows hard wheats that make great bread and noodles.

  • Wheat farming in Colorado: Colorado’s Eastern Plains are part of the North American “Wheat Belt” that runs from Alberta, Canada to Texas.
  • Colorado Wheat Research Foundation: Plant scientists are breeding new types of wheat. The goal is to create wheats that resist disease, pests, and extreme weather, and use less water. Most of the wheat varieties grown in Colorado were developed by CSU!

Wool

Most Colorado sheep graze in the high mountains each summer. They spend winter in lower elevations. Each spring, a sheep shearer cuts their wool off into one big piece called the fleece.

  • Wool farming in Colorado: Sheep farms cover Colorado. Many of the leading wool-producing areas are up north, in Weld, Moffat, Montrose, and Rio Bianco counties.
  • Fleece facts: Most counties have wool sheep farms. Colorado is a top five wool-producing state. The average Colorado sheep produces over six pounds of wool each year!

Barley

Humans first domesticated barley about 10,000 years ago! Barley is a grain used as human and animal food – and to make beer. One of the earliest recipes written on a clay tablet was a beer recipe.

  • Barley farming in Colorado: Farms in the San Luis Valley grow 85% of Colorado’s barley crop. Most of the barley crop is a special variety of malt barley grown for Coors Brewing Company.
  • Malting: Malting is a process of soaking barley until the grain starches break down into sugars. During beer brewing, yeast converts those sugars into alcohol.

Honey

Tiny livestock: People raise honeybees for the honey, of course. But bees are important farm workers, too. Traveling beekeepers bring hives to farms to pollinate fruit, nuts, vegetable crops, and more!

  • Apiaries in Colorado: A place that keeps a hive of bees is called an apiary. Bees are so important to Colorado agriculture that you will find apiaries in almost every county in the state.
  • Keeping pollinators healthy: CSU researchers study which flower pollens are the most nutritious for bees. Their research helps domestic honeybees, as well as the 1000 other species of bees in Colorado, stay healthy.

Olathe sweet corn

In Olathe, Colorado, corn geneticist David Galinat developed a new variety of sweet corn in the 1980s. Olathe sweet corn kernels are more tender and have more sugar content than other sweet corn varieties.

  • Sweet corn farming in Colorado: The biggest growers of sweet corn are on the western slopes of the Rockies, close to where Olathe sweet corn was born.
  • Handle with care: Field corn can be harvested by machine. But tender sweet corn has to be carefully picked by hand and kept cool when it is shipped.

Pumpkins

Colorado farmers grow dozens of pumpkin varieties. Some pumpkins are good for eating as a vegetable, some are better for pie. Some are perfect for making jack-o-lanterns! Pumpkin seeds are a great snack, too.

  • Pumpkin farming in Colorado: Pumpkins grow well in places that grow other vegetables and fruits like melons.
  • Growing giants! Every year, farmers and gardeners compete to grow the biggest pumpkin in the state. Some of the largest pumpkins weighed over 2,000 pounds!

Sod

Sod is grass that is harvested with its roots and soil. Planting sod creates a lawn much faster than growing grass from seed. Sod is used in most sports fields and can be used for environmental protection like erosion control projects.

  • Sod farming in Colorado: Most Colorado-grown sod is sold to Colorado customers. So, the sod farmers raise varieties of grass that grow well in Colorado’s dry environment.
  • Cut, roll, unroll: The harvest machine cuts long strips of sod, then rolls them up. To create a lawn or field, the customer prepares the soil and just unrolls the sod.

Sorghum

Sorghum is an “ancient grain” from northeastern Africa. Both people and livestock eat it. Sorghum is called the “camel of crops” because it grows well in hot, dry climates – like in northeastern Colorado.

  • Sorghum farming in Colorado: The U.S. is the world’s top sorghum producer. Colorado is one of the top five sorghum growing states in the country.
  • Sorghum to fight blindness: Vitamin A helps prevent blindness. Most sorghum has a type of vitamin A that the body can’t absorb. CSU researchers and their partners are developing varieties of sorghum with more “bioavailable” vitamin A that is easier for our bodies to absorb.

Sugar beets

Sugar beets are just that: beets used to make sugar. Unlike sugar cane, sugar beets don’t need tropical weather. So, they can grow in places like Colorado. Over half of all U.S. sugar is made from sugar beets.

  • Sugar beet farming: Colorado is one of only eleven U.S. states that grow the crop. Together, sugarbeet growers across the country farm over one million acres of land every year.
  • Historic Colorado crop: In the early 1900s, sugar beets were the most important crop in Colorado. At that time, there were twenty sugar refining factories in the state.

Sunflowers

About 80% of the sunflower varieties grown in Colorado are used to make sunflower oil. Other varieties are grown for people to eat as a snack. Seeds that are too small are sold as birdseed.

  • Sunflower farms in Colorado: Sunflowers love Colorado’s sunshine! The state has both small and large farms, plus a major plant that presses sunflower seeds into oil. Some farms even grow decorative sunflowers for bouquets, which you can find at farmers’ markets or pick yourself at cut-your-own flower farms.
  • Native crop: Sunflowers are native to North America. Today, many Indigenous Peoples still grind sunflower seeds into flour. They also make purple dye using black sunflower seeds.

Wine grapes

Wine grapes need sunny weather, warm days, and cool nights. This makes much of Colorado great for wineries, if the grapevines can survive the cold winters. CSU scientists are studying ways to prevent grapes from being damaged by the cold.

  • Wineries in Colorado: Most Colorado vineyards are in Mesa, Delta, and Montezuma counties but you can find wineries to visit all over the state.
  • Patience required: Grape vines can produce grapes for decades. But they don’t grow their first grapes until they are three years old. Once the grapes are harvested, processing them into wine can take several more years!

Who helps grow our food?

These are just a few of the jobs in Colorado agriculture. Select a job to learn more.

Marketing specialist
Animal nutritionist
Soil scientist
Drone pilot
Greenhouse manager
Entomologist
Veterinarian
Microbiologist
Irrigation specialist
Environmental compliance officer

Gabriella, marketing specialist

“I help farmers reach new customers to sell their product.”

Marketing specialists research what customers want, and how to reach them.

Marketing specialists may have a degree in communications, journalism, marketing, or related fields. They gather and use data to understand their audiences and may reach customers through social media, special events, advertising, and more. It takes creativity and teamwork to design a successful marketing approach.

Marketing specialists work with many agricultural businesses, including farms, food companies, and restaurants.

Jess, animal nutritionist

“I work with farmers to develop a feeding program that works for their livestock and the way they run their business.”

Animal nutritionists create foods or diet plans for animals. They can specialize in farm, pet, or zoo animals. A livestock nutritionist develops diets based on the animals’ breed and living conditions.

Animal nutritionists usually study animal sciences in college. Many get a master’s degree. Animal food companies also have jobs for people with an associate’s degree or trade skills.

On top of knowing nutrition science, animal nutritionists need to understand animal behavior and animal husbandry, or how we care for and breed animals.

Selena, soil scientist

“I test soils in the field and later in the lab. I gather important data and information about the health of soils. I also write a lot of reports about our findings!”

Soil scientists study the make-up of different soils. What nutrients are in it? Does it hold water well? The scientist recommends how to keep the soil healthy for the future.

A bachelor’s degree in soil science is the first step. Next, you can earn a professional certificate. If you love research, there are also master’s and Ph.D. programs.

Soil scientists work in farming, industry, government, research, and environmental protection.

Alejandro, drone pilot

“I use drones to make maps of how a crop is growing.”

Drones are also called “unmanned aerial vehicles” or UAVs. Cameras or sensors on the drones can collect a lot of data quickly. A big part of the job is analyzing the data that the drone collected.

Commercial drone pilots need to be credentialed by the FAA as a “remote pilot” before working with or researching UAVs. Some programs, like at CSU, help high school students earn their remote pilot license! Many drone pilots also get degrees in engineering, aviation, or geography.

Drone pilots also work in many other industries, including real estate, infrastructure, public safety, journalism, and entertainment.

Lucia, greenhouse manager

“I love helping plants grow. I get to work with innovative technology and solve problems with mechanical systems to help grow the food that people need and even grow the plants and flowers that make people happy.”

A greenhouse manager does a lot more than grow plants indoors. They keep careful records. They oversee all the equipment and people that keep the plants healthy. They can also help find new ways to grow more crops indoors, like at CSU Spur.

Greenhouse managers need to know plant biology and pest management. They also use math and computer skills. Some greenhouse manager jobs require a degree in plant breeding, plant genetics, or horticulture – the science of growing plants.

Greenhouse managers work at universities, food businesses, plant nurseries, and government agencies.

Shawna, entomologist

“I love bugs! And I love talking about how important they are to our lives. Without bugs, we wouldn’t have most of our fruits and veggies.”

Entomologists are insect scientists. They study how insects interact with people, other organisms, and the environment. Entomologists help farmers and ranchers control pest insects safely. Others help beneficial insects – like bees.

Entomology jobs can require a master’s degree or Ph.D. in entomology. Many entomologists do insect research. They are always studying and learning on the job.

Entomologists work in industry, zoos, veterinary medicine, universities, and the government – including the military!

Dr. Anika, veterinarian

“I am a large animal veterinarian who specializes in sports medicine and rehabilitation. That means I help animals, like horses, get better after an injury so they can live long, healthy lives.”

Veterinarians are animal doctors. Like human doctors, veterinarians pick a specialty. Large animal veterinarians often specialize in surgery, internal medicine, reproduction, sports medicine and rehabilitation, or public health. They can work on ranches or farms, as well as hospitals, in labs, or in research. Other veterinarians can focus on smaller animals, like cats and dogs, and can be general practitioners, emergency veterinarians, cardiologists, and dentists.

Veterinarians study for a DVM degree – a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. They can complete hands-on internships if they want to specialize in an area, like surgery. Other important skills are problem-solving, teamwork, leadership, and communication.

Veterinary students should intern in many different settings before picking a specialty.

Christina, microbiologist

“Microorganisms, or microbes, act like tiny factories. They can help scientists make incredible transformations, like turning food waste into fuel!”

Microbiologists study microbes like fungi, bacteria, viruses, and algae. In the lab, some microbiologists use microbes to make biofuels, medicines, or food products. Others focus on the role of microbes in the environment or in the human body.

Jobs usually require a degree in biology or microbiology. Experience in a lab is very important. For jobs in research or specialized areas, an advanced degree, like a master’s or Ph.D., is recommended. Microbiologists love solving difficult problems. They work in teams with many different kinds of scientists.

Microbiologists work in fields like healthcare, environmental science, manufacturing, and agriculture.

Dustin, irrigation specialist

“We use remote sensors so that the plants get the right amount of water only when they need it.”

Irrigation specialists install and maintain watering systems. They design every part of the irrigation system: pipes, wiring, and sensors. And they set up the computer controls for the system.

Irrigation specialists need a high school diploma. Most jobs require a welding certificate. Getting a degree in a field like agriculture, engineering, or landscape architecture opens up more job options.

Irrigation specialists can work with farms, golf courses, landscaping companies, and government jobs, like city parks.

Olivia, environmental compliance officer

“A big part of my job is educating workers and helping them follow the regulations that keep them and our environment safe.”

Environmental compliance officers make sure that organizations follow environmental laws. They monitor things like pesticide use, water use, and waste disposal. This ensures that businesses operate without hurting the environment.

Environmental compliance officers study data and complex rules. Most have a degree in health, statistics, or science. People specialize in one industry so that they can keep up with new regulations.

Environmental compliance officers work in agriculture, mining, energy, manufacturing, construction, and much more.

Please touch!

Can you identify these farm products by touch?

  • Bison pelt: There are over 100 bison ranchers in Colorado.
  • Cattle leather: Preserving animal hide as leather is a process called “tanning.”
  • Sheep’s wool: Sheep’s wool is spun into yarn for sweaters, hats, and even T-shirts.
  • Horse hide: Horses have helped farmers and ranchers for centuries – and still do today!
  • Alpaca pelt: South Americans domesticated alpacas for meat and wool over 6,000 years ago.

Please smell!

Can you identify these farm smells?

  • Farm soil: Healthy soil microorganisms help crops grow and give soil its warm “earthy” scent!
  • Hay: Hay is cut and dried when it is most nutritious for animals.
  • Peaches: Colorado peaches are some of the best in the world!
  • Cantaloupe melon: Colorado’s dry climate makes Rocky Ford cantaloupes and watermelons extra sweet.
  • Lavender: Nearly 30 Colorado farms grow lavender flowers for soaps, lotions, essential oil, and more.
  • Roasted Pueblo chile: The thick flesh of Pueblo chiles make them ideal for roasting.

Born in Colorado

Ardent Mills

Flour and grain ingredients

  • Colorado agriculture in our DNA: Ardent Mills planted its headquarters in downtown Denver in 2014. From here, Ardent Mills provides innovative ingredient solutions working with partners like CSU. The flour milled in Ardent Mills’ Colorado facilities and across North America help feed over 100 million people every day!
  • Cutting-edge grain science: One of the Ardent Mills Innovation Centers (AMIC) is right here in Denver. At this facility, Ardent Mills’ teams use state-of-the-art equipment to evaluate wheat and grain crops from farms across North America each year. This testing and research help bakers and food manufacturers keep their products consistent and excellent.

Noosa Yoghurt

Yogurt products

  • Colorado milk, Aussie flavor: In 2007, Koel Thomae moved to Colorado from Noosa, Australia, bringing a recipe for Australian-style yogurt. (Spelled “yoghurt” in Australia.) She partnered with Bellvue, Colorado dairy farmer, Rob Graves, to make Noosa Yoghurt. Noosa Yoghurt only uses milk from Grave’s farm, Morning Fresh Dairy Farm, or farms within 55 miles.
  • Fifth-generation farm: Noosa is a 21st-century company. But its dairy partner, Morning Fresh Dairy Farm, began in 1894! Morning Fresh Dairy Farm controls every step of its milk production. The farm raises its own cows and grows their food. They process and bottle their milk and deliver it to customers.

Celestial Seasonings

Tea blends

  • Born in the Rocky Mountains: Mo Siegel and his partners began selling teas in a health food store in Boulder, Colorado, in 1970. They made those teas from wild herbs they picked in the Rocky Mountains. By 1972, they had invented two of their most famous tea blends, Sleepytime® and Red Zinger®.
  • Sourced from the world: Celestial Seasonings still blends all its teas in their Boulder, Colorado, headquarters. But the 100+ plant ingredients now come from over 35 countries. The company buys most of its ingredients directly from growers. Some suppliers have worked with Celestial Seasonings for over 40 years.

Smartwool

Clothing

  • Steamboat Springs socks: The Smartwool company has always focused on making wool clothes to wear outdoors. Founded in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Smartwool’s first products were ski socks. They now make wool socks for all sorts of sports. Plus, wool shirts, pants, jackets, hats, and even underwear.
  • Merino wool: Merino sheep are bred for their very fine wool. Merino wool fibers are 1/3 the diameter of human hair. This makes Merino wool very soft. Wool wicks moisture away from the skin, keeping you warm and dry. This makes it perfect to wear during outdoor activities.

LÄRABAR

Fruit and nut bars

  • Hungry on a hike: In 2000, LÄRABAR founder, Lara, was hiking in the Rocky Mountains. She wished for a snack made from natural foods that tasted like a sweet treat. She experimented in her kitchen until she had designed recipes for her first five LÄRABAR flavors.
  • Farm partners: LÄRABAR partners with the American Farmland Trust to support women in farming. The company also gives small grants to help farms use regenerative practices. Regenerative farming protects the health of the soil, water, and wildlife while also growing crops.

Chipotle

Fast casual restaurant

  • Denver-born, California-inspired: Steve Ells opened the first Chipotle in Denver in 1993. He was inspired by San Francisco taquerias, small food trucks or restaurants that make and sell tacos. He thought food served fast didn’t have to taste like fast food. Chipotle still believes that how food tastes is connected to how it is raised and prepared.
  • From farm to foil: Chipotle partners with farmers, ranchers, and growers. Chipotle is committed to using only responsibly raised meat. It buys produce from local farms whenever possible. Chipotle connects what is good for the planet to what is good for your plate.

Beef Sticks for Backpacks

Dried beef snacks

  • Fighting weekend food insecurity: One in seven children in Colorado face food insecurity, and school meal programs help kids get the nutrition they need to stay healthy during the week. Beef Sticks for Backpacks works to fight hunger by donating beef sticks to backpack programs that help feed kids on the weekends. Founded in 2019 by members of Colorado’s agriculture community, this non-profit organization partners with CSU to make over 20,000 high-quality and high-protein beef sticks every week!
  • From pasture to backpack: Beef Sticks for Backpacks provides shelf-stable, high-quality protein snacks for children who depend on weekend community programs. Each beef stick has nine grams of protein and is made by students at CSU’s Global Food Innovation Center using Colorado beef. The beef sticks are distributed around the state by local food banks to weekend backpack programs for kids. Local ranchers, cattle feeders, industry partners, and CSU all work together to make this program possible. Learn more at www.beefsticks.org.

Coors Brewing Company

Beers

  • Brewed in Golden since 1873: German brewer Adolph Herrman Coors (originally “Kohrs”) came to America in 1868. He founded Golden Brewery five years later. The Coors Brewing Company still make Coors Banquet beer using his 1873 recipe. All Coors Banquet is brewed in Golden, CO with 100% of the water used coming from the Rocky Mountains.
  • Rooted in the Rockies: Beer starts with agriculture. This includes barley and grains grown in Colorado, and the pure water from the Rockies. By using quality ingredients and sustainable practices, like its recyclable aluminum cans, Coors ties brewing directly to the land.

Leprino Foods

Mozzarella cheese

  • Born in a Denver grocery store: In 1950, Mike Leprino Sr. opened a small grocery in Denver’s Little Italy. The store sold its own hand-crafted mozzarella and ricotta under the “Gina Marie” brand. It quickly became a local favorite. Seeing pizza’s growing popularity, Mike’s youngest son Jim focused the business on mozzarella. Leprino Foods Company is now the world’s largest mozzarella producer and a leading supplier of dairy ingredients—still headquartered on the original site.
  • Supplying Colorado, supplying the world: Leprino is guided by core values — quality, service, competitive price, and ethics. Its purpose is to sustainably feed and nourish families worldwide. Leprino sources fresh, wholesome Grade A milk from local dairy farms to create their cheese and dairy ingredients. With more than 1,400 employees in Colorado and over 5,500 worldwide, Leprino’s team creates nutritious products families count on.

CHRIS SHAFFNER

Senior Vice President, Utilities, Supply Chain, and Trade, CoBank

Christopher Shaffner is the senior vice president for the utilities, supply chain and global trade finance divisions, and is a member of the enterprise leadership team of CoBank, a cooperative bank serving agribusinesses and rural infrastructure providers throughout the United States. Prior to CoBank, Christopher held various leadership positions in both public and private organizations, including executive leadership positions in public housing authorities in Colorado and in New York where he served as the Manhattan Borough Director, leading operations for the New York City Housing Authority during Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s administration. A graduate of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business, Christopher is also a Finance Leaders Fellow at the Aspen Institute.

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JAMES HENDERSON

Vice President, Colorado Farm Bureau

James Henderson is a 5th generation farmer and rancher. The ranch, located in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, has been in continuous family operation for over 140 years. They raise cattle, oats, barley and other forage crops including alfalfa for use in the dairy industry. Henderson has served as the Vice President of Colorado Farm Bureau since 2020 and also serves on several water boards in his community. He is a graduate of the College of Natural Resources at Colorado State University. James and his wife Kiley have 6 children.

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EMMA TROLLER

Project Development Manager, Blue Forest

Emma Troller is a Project Development Manager at Blue Forest, a non-profit conservation finance organization. Coming from a background in environmental planning, community engagement, and land conservation, at Blue Forest she is responsible for developing public-private partnerships and conservation finance mechanisms across landownership types to improve ecological resilience and reduce wildfire risk throughout the American West.

In Colorado, she previously spent three years at Palmer Land Conservancy. As the Conservation and Recreation Program Manager, Emma managed conservation easement transactions and built trust with rural landowners to negotiate public access for recreation projects. She currently serves on the board of Rocky Mountain Women’s Film, and previously held board positions at the Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance and the Gold Belt Tour Scenic and Historic Byway. Emma holds a Bachelors of Urban and Environmental Planning from the University of Virginia and a Graduate Certificate in Natural Resource Management & Sustainable Ecosystems.

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PETER CULP

Managing Partner, Culp & Kelly, LLP

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Peter is a nationally-recognized Western water law and policy attorney, with nearly 25 years of experience representing and partnering with foundations and NGOs, municipalities, industry, tribal governments, agricultural interests, and investors, including extensive work in the Colorado River Basin. Over the past decade, Peter has also worked extensively on the development and deployment of innovative approaches to conservation finance, and has worked with various partners to create water-related impact investments throughout the Western United States and northern Mexico.

Peter is the managing partner and co-founder of Culp & Kelly, LLP, a mission-driven law and policy firm, as well as its affiliated consulting and project incubation firm, CK Blueshift, LLC. The two firms work as an integrated team to address a range of water, natural resource, and climate resilience challenges, and together support a growing set of innovative enterprises, projects, and restoration efforts throughout the Western United States.

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KATHLEEN GALVIN

University Distinguished Professor, College of Liberal Arts, Colorado State University

Dr. Kathleen Galvin is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Anthropology and Geography and former Director of the Africa Center at Colorado State University. She is also an Advising Faculty member for the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology, where she founded the Human-Environment Interactions specialization for graduate students interested in a robust academic background in social-ecological systems.

She has conducted interdisciplinary social-ecological systems research in the drylands of East Africa and East Asia. Galvin has worked with local communities on land-use change, biodiversity conservation, food security, and climate change impacts and adaptation. She uses social-ecological systems frameworks, simulation modeling, and geospatial tools to understand human-environment issues and interactions. Her current research examines local perceptions of climate change and environmental issues, and explores actions to achieve viable solutions in Kenya. Another project focuses on understanding the trade-offs of community-based conservation for people and the environment throughout Africa. She has just completed a NASA grant to understand household decisions, ecosystem change, and atmospheric water recycling in Kenya through modeling for water futures.

She has taken on transdisciplinary science, linking science with society to ensure that her work’s impact goes well beyond the academy. As a lead author of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES, 2019), she was instrumental in linking the science of biodiversity and ecosystem services with diverse governance and knowledge systems worldwide.

She is a Fellow in the Society of Applied Anthropology, a past Fellow in the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program, and a contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. In 2012, she received the National Sustainability Science award from the Ecological Society of America for her team’s efforts to use their scholarship to collaborate with pastoral communities and policymakers in eastern Africa. In 2017, the College of Liberal Arts awarded her the John N. Stern Distinguished Professor Award, recognizing a career of outstanding research, teaching, and service achievement.

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CHRISTINA SOHN

Senior Associate, Superbloom

Christina has over 9 years of professional experience in bringing landscape projects to life on varied sites: from well-loved public parks, art and science museums, university courtyards, to many-acre, ecologically-sensitive residences. While seeing projects through from concept to construction, Christina places a high priority on the relationship with the client, on meeting project milestones, and on attention to detail. She admires the rugged hardiness of Colorado’s native plants: their ability to thrive in harsh conditions, to sustain wildlife, to embody resilient beauty. When they are authentic to the place, elegant and logical, she believes that the right plants and good design have the ability to lift our spirits. She believes in bringing this beauty to the neglected, in practicing restraint and clarity in design, and in welcoming the rambunctiousness of life, whether in plant or human form.

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BORIS NIKOLAEV

Associate Professor and Tracy Family Faculty Fellow, College of Business, Colorado State University

Boris Nikolaev is an Associate Professor and the Tracy Family Faculty Fellow at the College of Business at Colorado State University. He studies entrepreneurship, well-being, and how emerging technologies are affecting the future of work.

He is also an Editor at Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, Foundations and Trends in Entrepreneurship, and an instructor for Statistical Horizons.

His research includes over 50 peer-reviewed publications, including a dozen articles in premier journals such as JBV, ETP, JAP, SEJ, and JIBS. His work has been featured in the Economist, Forbes, TechCrunch, the Atlantic, and many other media outlets. He has been honored to receive multiple research excellence awards, including the Habicht Early Career Research Award and Business for Better World Research Award.

In the classroom, his passion for innovative teaching has earned recognition from the Academy of Management. He has also received several university-wide teaching awards, including the William H. Fox Teaching Award for Emerging Excellence (Emory University), the N. Preston Davis Award for Instructional Innovation (Colorado State University), the Provost Award for Outstanding Teaching (University of South Florida), and the Innovation in Entrepreneurship Pedagogy Award (AOM ENT Division).

What drives him? A curiosity about how entrepreneurship shapes our world and a commitment to nurturing the next generation of business leaders and entrepreneurship scholars. Whether he’s exploring the impact of AI on value creation or investigating the well-being of entrepreneurs, his goal is to produce research that matters and education that inspires.

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ELIZABETH BABCOCK

Executive Director, Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency

Elizabeth Babcock is the Executive Director for Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability and Resiliency. She has over 20 years of experience managing collaborative and transformational projects. During her 12 years with the City and County of Denver, Elizabeth acted as a leader in the development of Denver’s climate office and created nationally recognized programs under Denver’s Climate Protection Fund. She has managed several multimillion-dollar grants, including the Denver Energy Challenge, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. She also led Denver’s participation in the American Cities Climate Challenge, driving climate action across city government. In previous roles, she worked with universities around the world to advance sustainability and civic engagement through the Talloires Network and community engagement through the Civic Knowledge Project at the University of Chicago. She holds a BA with highest honors from the University of Florida and an MA from the University of Chicago.

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ALEX BUDAK

Professional Faculty, University of California Berkeley

Alex Budak is an educator, entrepreneur, speaker, and author who helps people cultivate courage and turn everyday moments into change. A UC Berkeley faculty member, he holds a triple appointment at the Haas School of Business, School of Public Health, and College of Natural Resources, where his courses teach students and executives to lead with character, connection, and contribution—and have even inspired student tattoos.

His book, Becoming a Changemaker, is being translated into 27 languages. CNBC named it a top-five nonfiction book about work and Inc. named him a top 50 leadership and management expert.

Budak’s change journey began when he co-founded StartSomeGood, which has raised more than $12 million to launch and scale new initiatives in more than 50 countries.

A UCLA and Georgetown graduate, he delivers keynotes on leadership, change, and courage to audiences worldwide, from Ukraine to Cambodia, and regularly leads interactive sessions for organizations such as Accenture, Salesforce, the World Bank, and UNHCR.

Formerly a travel writer, Alex now enjoys the everyday adventures of life with his two young kids—his favorite changemakers. A lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, he brings the same loyalty to his work, though he admits one lesson came the hard way: never go budget skydiving.

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KAREN SCHLATTER

Director, Colorado Water Center

Karen Schlatter was appointed director of the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University in 2025, after joining the Center as associate director in 2023. Schlatter brings academic, nonprofit, and public sector experience in managing complex water challenges with a deep commitment to building partnerships and the ability to engage in conversations across Colorado’s water community. She joined CSU from the University of Florida Water Institute where her work included facilitating multi-stakeholder/academic teams to achieve shared goals around water management through collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Prior to her role at UF, she served as associate director of the Colorado River Delta Program at the Sonoran Institute, where she focused on building cross-sector and international partnerships to support large-scale ecological restoration, effective binational water management, and community engagement in the Colorado River Delta region. Schlatter earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from McGill University and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She served as an agricultural extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.

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LINDSAY ROGERS

Policy Manager for Municipal Conservation, Western Resource Advocates

Lindsay Rogers is the Policy Manager for Municipal Conservation at Western Resource Advocates. Rogers advances water conservation at the municipal level to bolster communities’ water security and reduce pressure on Western rivers and streams. As climate change and population growth further strain Western waterways, she works closely with municipalities, water utilities, partners, and decision makers to improve water efficiency, boost local resilience, and protect rivers. By facilitating local and state-level policy development and providing direct project support, Lindsay helps communities and utilities pursue innovative and tailored water-saving strategies such as graywater ordinances, waterwise landscaping policies, and better integrated water and land-use planning. Previously, she spent five years as the Colorado Basin Program Manager at WaterNow Alliance, focused on advancing sustainable water policies and programs in the West by working directly with municipal water decision makers. Lindsay serves on the board of Colorado WaterWise. She holds a B.S. in Environmental Studies and International Relations from Tufts University and is pursuing an MPA from CU Denver.

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JARED ROMERO

Program Officer in the Environment Program, Walton Family Foundation

Jared Romero, Ph.D., is a Program Officer in the Environment Program at the Walton Family Foundation, where he works to advance conservation solutions in the Colorado River Basin. His career bridges science, education, and conservation leadership, shaped by a lifelong connection to the outdoors and a belief in the power of education to transform lives.

Jared previously served as Director of Strategic Partnerships at the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, where he built coalitions to expand equity in outdoor recreation and conservation policy. Earlier in his career, he held academic and research leadership roles at Boise State University and Adams State University, spearheading the development of One Health programs connecting human, animal, and environmental health.

He has been recognized as a Colorado Water Hero, served on boards for national and regional conservation organizations, and is known for creating inclusive spaces that elevate underrepresented voices in conservation. Jared holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Colorado State University, as well as graduate and undergraduate degrees in natural and biological sciences.

Grounded in humility and service, Jared sees the outdoors as both refuge and responsibility. The outdoors are a place that inspires his work to ensure future generations have access to healthy lands and waters.

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JULIE DAVIES O’SHEA

Executive Director, Farmers Conservation Alliance

Julie Davies O’Shea has guided FCA through two decades of growth, positioning the organization as a national leader in irrigation modernization. As a founder and executive director of Farmers Conservation Alliance, Julie’s expertise begins with her ability to foster relationships with key partners in irrigation across the West. Under her leadership, FCA has partnered with 55 irrigation communities to implement projects that improve agricultural efficiency, increase water reliability, and deliver lasting environmental and community benefits.

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GIGI KARMOUS-EDWARDS

CEO, Karmous Edwards Consulting

Over the course of more than 25 years, Gigi Karmous-Edwards has worked in various domains of digital technologies, spanning the Data Communications industry, Academia, and most recently, dedicating the last 13 years to the Water Sector. Gigi is the technical lead and Co-PI of a GenAI WRF #5321 (GenAI for the Global Water Sector) project. Gigi is the founder and former chair of the SWAN Digital Twin H2O Work Group, leads AI market insights at BlueTech Research as a Technology Advisor Group (TAG) member, and serves on the Advisory Boards of Veralto and Qatium.

Gigi has authored over 40 publications and frequently speaks at global conferences. As the CEO of Karmous-Edwards Consulting, she advises global utilities and technology companies on digital transformation and GenAI. B.S. in Chemical Eng and M.S. Electrical Eng.

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MARA WALLER

Senior Research Scholar, College of Business, Colorado State University

Mary (“Mara”) J. Waller, Ph.D., is a leading authority on team dynamics and crisis management. A professor of organizational behavior, her work focuses on how teams adapt, coordinate, and make decisions under conditions of uncertainty and high risk. Over the course of her career, Dr. Waller has authored numerous articles and books that bridge rigorous research with real-world application. Her latest book, Crisis-Ready Teams, provides evidence-based strategies for preparing teams to navigate disruption and perform effectively under pressure.

Dr. Waller is a sought-after speaker and consultant who has worked with organizations across industries, helping leaders strengthen team resilience and improve performance in turbulent environments. Her expertise has been featured in academic, business, and media outlets worldwide. With a reputation for making complex research both engaging and actionable, she brings practical insights to audiences ranging from executives and policymakers to educators and students.

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TOM VILSACK

Chief Executive Officer, World Food Prize Foundation

Effective March 1, 2025, Thomas J. Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and Governor of Iowa, will become the first Chief Executive Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In this new role, Governor Vilsack will focus on expanding the Foundation’s global network, and will further position the Foundation as a leader in addressing global food and nutrition insecurity, continuing his lifetime of public service.

In 1998, he became the first Democrat to be elected as the Governor of Iowa in more than 30 years. During his two terms as Governor, he created an $800 million, 10-year economic development incentive program—the Iowa Values Fund. His administration worked with schools, medical providers, businesses, faith-based organizations and other entities to expand healthcare coverage to more than 90,000 previously uninsured children.

He became the 30th and 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture, from 2008-2017 and 2021-2025, respectively. Only five people in U.S. history have served in the Cabinet longer, and during his tenures, the United States Department of Agriculture set records for U.S. agricultural exports and provided food assistance to millions of Americans. He helped expand food and nutrition access through summer feeding programs for children and additional support for fruit and vegetable purchases through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. As Secretary, he worked to develop new and superior markets for small and mid-sized farms, allowing those operations to remain viable and in turn, strengthening and growing rural communities.

Governor Vilsack has long been connected to the World Food Prize Foundation, having served on both the Council of Advisors and the Board of Directors. His insights and acumen were vital in shaping our mission and initiatives. His leadership and experience will be instrumental in expanding the Foundation’s international reach and continuing the mission of elevating innovations and inspiring action to sustainably increase the quality, quantity and availability of food for all.

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KATE WATKINS

Colorado State Demographer

Kate Watkins is Colorado’s State Demographer. She leads the State Demography Office within the Department of Local Affairs. The State Demography Office produces population and economic estimates and forecasts for use by the business community, nonprofits, and state and local governments. Kate has nearly two decades of experience analyzing economic and demographic trends in Colorado and beyond. Her career history includes serving as the Chief Economist for Colorado’s state legislature, as an economist at the Denver Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, and as a private sector consultant. Kate holds a Ph.D. from Cornell University.

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TONY FRANK

Chancellor, CSU System

Dr. Tony Frank is the Chancellor of the CSU System. He previously served for 11 years as the 14th president of CSU in Fort Collins. Dr. Frank earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Wartburg College, followed by a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois, and a Ph.D. and residencies in pathology and toxicology at Purdue. Prior to his appointment as CSU’s president in 2008, he served as the University’s provost and executive vice president, vice president for research, chairman of the Pathology Department, and Associate Dean for Research in the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He was appointed to a dual role as Chancellor in 2015 and became full-time System chancellor in July 2019.

Dr. Frank serves on a number of state and national boards, has authored and co-authored numerous scientific publications, and has been honored with state and national awards for his leadership in higher education.

Dr. Frank and his wife, Dr. Patti Helper, have three daughters.

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CSU Spur is turning 2! Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025.

It’s our anniversary!

It’s our anniversary! CSU Spur has been fully open to the public, sharing hands-on, family-friendly activities around food, water, and health for two years. Join us on Saturday, Jan. 11, for 2nd Saturday activities, including desserts, a mariachi performance, face painters, horses on treadmills, veterinarians in surgery, scientists in labs, and more. The celebration is from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. and CSU Spur will be open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; no registration required, all public activities are free.

2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is presented by Canvas Credit Union.

We’ll see you Saturday!

2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. this Saturday (Dec. 13), and this month is a winter festival. Celebrate the season with a holiday market featuring local vendors and unique gifts, warm treats, winter crafts, and a joyful community atmosphere.

Explore 2nd Saturday activities