DENVER — The 26th annual Governor’s Forum on Colorado Agriculture, was defined by dialogue among state officials and industry leaders covering food production, land conservation, climate change, food safety, food waste and many other topics.
Colorado Egg Producers (CEP) Industry Relations Director David Collie was a member of the Colorado Agriculture Leadership Program class that helped organize the Forum.
The common theme across all discussions at the event was the need for new opportunities and collaboration among partners within and outside of ag in order to help farmers, ranchers and rural communities during a time of low commodity prices, along with other challenges facing ag — an industry that in Colorado makes a $40 billion impact, and is a top-three driver of the state’s economy.
The 425 attendees of the Feb. 22 Forum in Denver heard keynote presentations from U.S. Senator Cory Gardner, Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper, former U.S. deputy secretary of agriculture Krysta Harden, and Colorado State University agricultural economics professor Dr. Gregory Graff, while also having the opportunity to listen in on a dozen panel discussions that featured 40-plus experts from CSU, and representatives of various federal agencies, businesses and organizations.
In addition to helping organize the Forum, on the day following the event, David took part in a CALP graduation ceremony that concluded his participation in the two-year leadership program.
— Colorado Egg Producers Association
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