Agriculture

Agriculture is the economic engine in Colorado's northeastern corner. A report by Colorado State University and the Fort Collins-based NoCo Foundation details the way in which that makes these rural communities resilient, but also vulnerable.

Democrats tend to present themselves as pro-worker. But a recent bill to scale back overtime rules for farm workers caused a split among Colorado Democrats, with a handful joining state Republicans to pass the legislation. What this means for farmworkers – and why 11 Democrats decided to support the bill.

The bill sparked bitter debate and passed the House by a single vote.

Under one bill, overtime pay for ag workers would have kicked in earlier. The other bill won out.

Commissioners voted 6-4 to advance Center for Biological Diversity’s petition to ban commercial fur sales amid public pushback and criticism. Listen to "Morning Edition" host Michael Lyle, Jr. discuss this story with Colorado Sun reporter Tracy Ross and then read the entire article at the link below.

But lawmakers agree on moves to safeguard the state’s farms and ranches for the next generation.

The Fetcher ranch in northwest Colorado is on the frontlines this year of record-low snowpack across the West. It's adding a sense of urgency among seven states to finalize a plan for how to conserve the dwindling Colorado River.

Invasive zebra mussels have now infested at least 135 miles of the Colorado River, from the Utah border to Dotsero in western Colorado. And if these tiny pests flow into narrow irrigation pipes and tubes, they threaten to spoil the harvest of Colorado's sweetest crops.

Potash and phosphate are now on the 2025 critical minerals list.

Temple Grandin is well known as an author, as an advocate for people with autism, and a pioneer in the humane treatment of livestock. And she’s about to get another honor: Her portrait will soon be on the wall of the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. CSU’s Temple Grandin shares how this came about, and what it means to her.