Colorado’s Economic Engine

Success Through Efficiency and Technology

Agriculture is Colorado’s second largest industry. Colorado’s farm and ranch families produce $7 billion in cash receipts every year and account for $20 billion in overall economic activity. We are the country’s second largest exporter of beef. This trade brings in $500 million of outside money into Colorado’s economy every year. Additionally, the ag industry employs more than 110,000 people representing a full 4% of Colorado’s jobs.

With the scientific advances of the last 50 years, Colorado agriculture has been able to be more productive and sustainable than at any point in the past. Consumer demand has created very efficient farming and ranching methods that has allowed Colorado and U.S. agriculture to feed more mouths than ever before while also reducing the industry’s environmental impact.

The use of technology and the efficiency afforded by it has enabled family farmers and ranchers to make more food with less. Farmers and ranchers have embraced new production methods which allow them to reduce their environmental footprint while reducing the cost of food for Colorado families.

Did you know… In 2008, Americans spent less than 9.6% of their disposable income on food (compared to 18.6% in 1955). Despite that, the farmers share hovers at .19 of every dollar. CFB works hard to increase this share.

 

Diversity of Production

With a growing world population farmer and ranchers have more mouths to feed than ever before. Since 1970 the worlds population has doubled. The amount of farmland has stayed the same. But thanks to advances in technology the average farmer produces enough food to feed 155 people every year. In 1970 he only produced enough to feed 73 people.

This accomplishment has been made with a variety of production methods. Advances in genetics, chemistry, ecology and many other sciences have enabled the dramatic rise in production. In recent years these advances coupled with consumer demand have allowed farmers to produce food using older methods. Natural and organic products have populated store shelves and urban dwellers have reconnected with the agriculture through farmers markets and local groceries.

CFB supports all methods of farming. It is a hungry world. It will take every production method to help feed it.

Did you know… According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, in order to feed a growing world population, farmers and ranchers will have to produce as much food by 2050 as we have since farming began. Thats a lot of food!