Today on Colorado Edition: We hear about labor issues affecting the Olathe sweet corn crop. Plus, we learn about a team that’s helping farmers navigate an uncertain time for agriculture. We’ll also travel to Arizona to learn about the Glen Canyon Dam. Lastly, we’ll explore the impact state budget cuts will have on a range of sectors in Colorado.
State Budget Cuts
Due to the financial impact of COVID-19, Colorado state lawmakers had to cut over $3 billion from the state budget this past legislative session. To learn more about how the cuts will affect programs that deal with Coloradans’ health, we spoke with Markian Hawryluk. He’s the senior Colorado correspondent for Kaiser Health News. You can read Markian's reporting here.
Lake Powell, 40 Years Later
When the Glen Canyon Dam was finished on the Colorado River in 1966, it marked an important development for water management in the arid West. It also transformed Glen Canyon into the man-made reservoir Lake Powell, which reached its capacity for the first time forty years ago this summer. As Jon Reed from KUER in Salt Lake City reports, that’s a grim milestone for environmentalists who have never forgotten the loss of Glen Canyon.
Labor Issues In Olathe
Early Monday morning, Jason Blevins from the Colorado Sun went out to see the first harvest of the season of Olathe sweet corn. He joined us to discuss some of the labor issues surrounding the harvest.
Diversity In Farming
The state Department of Agriculture and 14 other organizations banded together to create the Colorado Farm & Food Systems Response Team to support small and mid-sized farmers hurt by the pandemic. The team is one of several ways farmers can get money and information to help navigate these unprecedented times.
Fatuma Emmad helped convene the team and joined us to tell us more about it. She is head farmer, executive director and co-founder of Frontline Farming in Denver, and president of Mile High Farmers.
Colorado Edition is made possible with support from our KUNC members. Thank you!
Our theme music was composed by Colorado musicians Briana Harris and Johnny Burroughs. Other music in the show by Blue Dot Sessions:
- "That River Wide" by Sketchbook
Colorado Edition is hosted by Erin O'Toole (@ErinOtoole1) and Henry Zimmerman (@HWZimmerman), and produced by Lily Tyson. The web was edited by digital editor Jackie Hai. Managing editor Brian Larson contributed to this episode. We get production help from Rae Solomon.
KUNC's Colorado Edition is a news magazine taking an in-depth look at the issues and culture of Northern Colorado. It's available on our website, as well as on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can hear the show on KUNC's air, Monday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m.