Central Colorado Foodshed Partnership - Learn | CSU's Office Of Engagement & Extension

About the partnership

The Central Colorado Foodshed Partnership—including public and private entities—share a mission “to put Colorado food on Colorado plates” in pursuit of a more resilient and equitable regional foodshed.

The partnership is composed of El Paso County Public Health Department, Colorado State University-Extension, El Paso County, JH Consulting, LLC, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, and City of Colorado Springs Office of Innovation. Our goals include:

Strengthening cross-sector communication
Developing strategic alliances
Improving the understanding of food system assets and gaps as well as past and current initiatives
Bolstering economic viability for regional agricultural producers

An aerial view of a town nestled in a valley, surrounded by winding roads, rivers, and lush green mountains under warm sunlight.

Aerial view of inside a grocery store produce section.

Our Vision & Mission

Strengthening Colorado’s local food systems

The Central Colorado Foodshed Partnership’s mission is to put Colorado food on Colorado plates by building a resilient and inclusive regional food culture. Through strong communication, resilient food systems, and strategic alliances, we aim to strengthen the local food network and support sustainable practices across the region.

What is a foodshed?

A foodshed is a geographic region where food flows from its source to where it is consumed, similar to how a watershed directs water flow. It includes the land where food is grown, water sources, processing facilities, markets, and the communities that consume the food. A foodshed involves various food system actors like producers, processors, and retailers. It is closely connected to natural and social factors such as water availability, land use policies, and transportation routes that affect the flow and availability of food.

What is a food system?

A community food system is one in which food production, processing, distribution, and consumption are geographically integrated and benefit the environment, economy, and social and nutritional health of a particular community.

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About the project

The Central Colorado Foodshed Project is broken into two phases – one focused on information gathering and assessment, and one focused on convening stakeholders and strategizing for future implementation efforts.

Phase 1: Discovery

Gather information for a historical review of past projects undertaken by organizations, entities, and individuals to reveal successes, failures, and areas of opportunity.
Begin working on a strategic, community-focused communications plan targeting consumers and farmers, including creating a website and developing additional methods for sharing partner and food system updates and opportunities.
Conduct a comprehensive food system resilience assessment—across food availability, food accessibility, and food utilization issues—to better understand existing food system knowledge, assets, and vulnerabilities.
Review and leverage secondary data sources to better understand both the history and current state of the food system, with further ground truthing through targeted focus groups and interviews.

Phase 2: Convene, share, and strategize

Following the conclusion of phase one, project partners and stakeholders will convene to share information, discuss strategy, and set actionable goals. More information coming soon…

Guiding Questions

Our guiding questions best capture the core areas of learning and understanding for the Central Colorado Foodshed Project. As the CCFP team moves through Phases I and II, these guiding questions will ensure we stay on track with our objectives and develop an action plan rooted in the realities and needs of Central Colorado’s food system stakeholders.

What can we learn from the history of prior community initiatives to inform our coordination across sectors throughout the entire foodshed?
How can we develop and/or strengthen cross-sector communication and collaboration throughout our food system?
How can we develop a strategic, community-focused communications plan targeting consumers and farmers?
Where and what are the gaps, deficiencies, or limitations within our food system?
What and where are our food systems assets and vulnerabilities?
What are the capacities, resources, and technical assistance needs?
How can we determine readiness around (or are we ready for) a future local or regional food coalition?

Project Updates

The Central Colorado Foodshed Project team is busy planning and preparing for many of our Phase I activities including both farmer and consumer focus groups as well as our food system resilience assessment. Our continuous learning approach aims to create a culture of understanding and reflection as data is reviewed, while remaining flexible and responsive to emerging issues and insights. Check back soon for more details and updates!

Partnerships

USDA Grant Statement

Funding for the Central Colorado Foodshed project was made possible by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through grant AM22RFSPCO1051-00. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.