STAR AFFILIATEs: Colorado STAR

Colorado was the first western state to adapt the STAR Framework to meet the production needs and resource priorities of the western climate with a specific focus on soil health. The CO STAR Science Committee, made up of producers and representatives from Colorado Department of Agriculture, Colorado State University, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), local SWCDs, and CO CCA, developed field forms and scoring for five different cropping systems and grazing lands. From 2023 to 2025, CO STAR was used as part of Colorado Department of Agriculture’s Colorado Soil Health Program, which provided financial and technical assistance to producers to implement new practices and to encourage the long-term adoption of these practices across their operation, until federal funding cuts abruptly ended those efforts in April 2025. The CO STAR Steering Committee, made up of representatives from Colorado Department of Agriculture, CO NRCS, local county government, Colorado State Conservation Board, CO State Land Board, CO Master Irrigators, and local non-profits, continues to guide planning and implementation of CO STAR for farmers and ranchers across the state. Colorado Producers can access field forms for six different cropping systems and grazing to assess where they are on their soil health journey. The newly developed regional STAR for Grazing Lands Tool will be available for Colorado ranchers in September 2025.

CO Steering Committee

• Cindy Lair, Colorado Dept of Agriculture
• Mindy Gottsegen, State Land Board
• Nikki Brinson, Colorado State Conservation Board
• Rakel Sanchez, Colorado State Conservation Board
• Amy Kremen, Master Irrigators
• Christine Newton, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Michael Lobato, Lobato Farms
• Lauren Kelso, Growing Gardens
• Tim Broderick, Boulder County

CO Science Committee

• Steve Blecker – Soil Health Specialist, Colorado State University
• Mike Lobato – Producer, Lobato Farms
• Megan Machmuller – Research Scientist III, Dept of Soil and Crop Sciences, Colorado State University
• Christine Newton – State Conservation Agronomist, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Patrick O’Neill – Soil Scientist, Agronomist, CCA, Soil Health Services
• Roy Pfaltzgraff – Producer
• Mike Rademacher – Producer & Secretary/Treasurer, Longmont and Boulder Valley Conservation Districts
• Greg Vlaming – Producer