All Entries in the "Agriculture" Category
CWCB Drought Update, October 2015
Following a very warm and dry start to the fall, November to-date has seen more seasonal temperatures west of the divide and increased precipitation on the west slope and northeastern plains. This has helped to alleviate abnormally dry conditions over parts of the state. Storage levels in some basins are at the highest levels since […]
Colorado Employment Situation – October 2015
Employers in Colorado added 13,000 nonfarm payroll jobs from September to October for a total of 2,533,100 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 13,400 and government decreased 400. According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two-tenths of a percentage point in October to 3.8 […]
Livestock Slaughter – October 2015 U.S. Highlights
Commercial red meat production for the United States totaled 4.31 billion pounds in October, down slightly from the 4.32 billion pounds produced in October 2014. Beef production, at 2.13 billion pounds, was 2 percent below the previous year. Cattle slaughter totaled 2.51 million head, down 5 percent from October 2014. The average live weight was […]
Gov. Hickenlooper presents Colorado’s Water Plan
DENVER — Thursday, Nov. 19, 2015 — Gov. John Hickenlooper today was joined by James Eklund, Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) Director, Dr. John Stulp, Senior Adviser to the Governor, CWCB Board members and many members of Colorado’s water community to celebrate the completion of Colorado’s Water Plan, calling the project a historic step […]
RMFU Convention Discusses Urban Agriculture, GMOs and Drones
DENVER, Colo. – Farmers and ranchers attending the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union’s annual convention did not shy away from hot topics during policy discussion and adoption. The Nov. 13-14 event drew members from Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. Increasingly, the changing face of agriculture is including beginning farmers who are younger and focusing more […]
Michael Martin Murphey Sings from Experience
Noted country-western artist Michael Martin Murphey entertained before a packed house at the annual Farm-City Banquet, hosted by the Lamar Chamber of Commerce this past Saturday, November 14th. Murphey’s career has shown a versatility that has ranged from singing and composing for various musical formats including country-western, cowboy and bluegrass styles. He has garnered top […]
Drought Information Statement-Southeast Colorado Benefits from Warm/Wet October
October began with warm and dry conditions with several new daily maximum temperature records set across the area through the first half of the month. However, two moist Pacific weather systems brought some beneficial rain and higher elevation snowfall to areas along the Continental Divide and southeast Plains through the last half of the month, […]
Winter Storm to Affect Southern CO This Afternoon through Wednesday
Updated: 600 AM MST, Tuesday, November 10th A potent weather system is still on track to bring snow, rain, and wind to southern Colorado. The storm will first impact the Continental Divide this afternoon and spread eastward tonight. Significant snow accumulations will be probable along the Continental Divide from the Mosquito and eastern Sawatch Ranges […]
Local Statistics Discussed at PCDI Monthly Meeting
“Twenty-five percent of the jobs in Prowers County are government based,” said George Gotto, Interim Executive Director of Prowers County Development Incorporated. He was relating some financial and population statistics from a recent study which detailed the demographics of several southeast Colorado counties, made available during a recent economic development director meeting held in La […]
CPW Issues Eastern Plains Pheasant, Quail Forecast
DENVER – Colorado Parks and Wildlife announces the 2015-16 Eastern Plains pheasant and quail forecast just in time for opening weekend Nov. 14. The two seasons for pheasant and three seasons for quail vary in duration and location around the state. The forecast is encouraging, said Ed Gorman, CPW’s small game program manager. He reports […]
Rural Connections Concept Discussed at PCDI Meeting
Several hundred seniors graduate from southeast Colorado high schools each year. If they aren’t attending college in Lamar or La Junta, what does the local job market hold for these graduates? How prepared are they to enter into the business world available to them? Julie Worley of “Rural Connections” in La Junta broached those questions […]
Lodging Panel Receives Long-Range Funding Requests
The Prowers County Lodging Tax Panel entertained some new ideas for funding requests during their monthly meeting on October 20th. The first came from the Spreading Antlers Golf Course, represented by Gib Sprout and Jack Van Hook, board members of the club. Van Hook explained that in an effort to bring more revenue into […]
Colorado Employment Situation | September 2015
Employers in Colorado added 2,000 nonfarm payroll jobs from August to September for a total of 2,523,700 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 4,000 and government decreased 2,000. According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two-tenths of a […]
Youth Hunters Invited to a Guided Pheasant Hunt at Mike Higby State Wildlife Area
LAMAR, Colo. – Colorado public lands arguably provide some of the best pheasant hunting opportunities in the west. If you are, or know a young person who is interested in learning the sport, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be hosting a guided pheasant hunt for youths between the ages of 10 and 17 at Mike […]
Idler-/-Harbour Recognized for Their Contributions
Two Prowers County residents, JoLynn Idler and Doug Harbour were presented with certificates of appreciation for their work in the community by the Prowers County Commissioners recently. Idler was recognized for her work with Prowers County Public Health as an immunization coordinator for the past 17 years. She was selected as a 2015 Regional Sure […]
Holly Dairy Farm May Get Second Chance
A Texas judge’s decision this past September, to delist the Prairie Chicken on the Endangered Species List, may have opened the door for the development of the stalled Holly dairy project initiated last year under a special use permit. Keith Siemsen, Prowers County Land Use Administrator, met with the Prowers County Commissioners and County Attorney, […]
PCDI Should Reflect Unique Offering to Potential Business Developers
George Gotto, Interim Executive Director for PCDI, Prowers County Development Incorporated, recapped his visit to the hemp farm that is developing in La Junta during the organization’s monthly meeting. The Whole Hemp Company has 100 acres planted using drip irrigation this year and employs about 30 people. He stated, “They expect to have from 200 […]
September Drought Update from CWCB
Warm dry conditions have continued across much of eastern Colorado, while the mountains have seen near average precipitation so far this month. Drier conditions have resulted in declining soil moisture levels, but overall evapotranspiration rates are below average for the season, and pasture conditions and harvest yields are reportedly good. Water providers are also reporting […]
Water Highlights 2015 Theme for Holly Gateway Fair
“Water Flowin’ Keeps It Growin” was the theme chosen for this year’s Gateway Fair for the Holly Community. The overall Grand Champion award for the Saturday morning parade went to the Junior Class of 2017 for their offering. The cloudy skies and misty morning didn’t deter any residents from lining the main road from Tony […]
Hickenlooper Community Forum Covers Rural Business Growth, Health, Marijuana
Governor Hickenlooper, accompanied by several state cabinet members, took questions from the Lamar audience and provided a general overview of Colorado issues during a Town Forum at the Lamar Community Building last Thursday, September 24. “Colorado is ranked as a state in the top-level of several categories across the country,” the governor remarked in his […]