Agriculture & Natural Resources News:

About Garfield County

Overview

Garfield County is located in western Colorado and consists of Carbondale, Glenwood Springs, New Castle, Silt, Rifle, Battlement Mesa and Parachute. Garfield County has been experiencing steady population and economic growth. The 2020 population estimate is 61,084 and the median household income is $72,898 with $68,811 being the state average. The oil and gas industry has been prominent in Garfield County. Other major economic contributors are tourism and agriculture.

Agriculture

The agriculture industry has seen an increased interest in small acreage and local food production. The agriculture industry has increased from 449 farms in 2002 to 661 in 2017. Farmlands cover 475,166 acres across Garfield County. The average farm size is 719 acres, with 25% of products sold being crops and 75% being livestock (cattle and sheep primarily).

Beef, lamb, wool, pork, hay, oats, sod, bio-fuels, and more shape our community and economy. From the largest of our historical properties to the smallest community garden plot, Garfield County is an agricultural region.

More information from the 2017 Census of Agriculture.

Demographics

The communities in Garfield County have diverse economies, shopping opportunities and housing choices. The population is approximately 30% Hispanic. Garfield County is primarily rural, with 60% public land. Outdoor recreation opportunities abound, and include hunting, fishing, hiking, climbing, rafting, biking, skiing, and other activities typically associated with Colorado.

Extension

Colorado has a long and proud tradition of agriculture. Colorado State University’s College of Agricultural Science offers some of the premier research and ongoing opportunities for study and advancement in all aspects of agriculture.

Garfield County Extension has programming to help support and strengthen the agriculture industry in Garfield County. Soil health, irrigation, weed control and small acreage management are areas of focus.

Office Services

Testing

We can provide soil screening tests to identify key soil health issues. This is a new service that we will begin offering in Spring 2022. You can either drop off a sample at our office or give us a call and we can schedule a visit to assist you with sampling.

For a more in-depth lab analysis, we offer test sampling kits and instructions for: soil, water, compost/manure, feed, and plant tissue. We also have a soil sampling probe at our office. There are several different labs to choose from and pricing varies depending on the type of testing being done.

Give us a call, email, or stop by for more information.

Private Applicator

We have hard copies of the Colorado Private Pesticide Applicator study manual and test available at our office. There is no charge for the study manual and test, but there is a $75 license fee that is due to the Colorado Department of Agriculture.

This test is required for licensure, for more information on Private Applicator testing.

Respirator Fit Testing

The EPA requires that all individuals working with pesticides labeled for respiratory protection complete a medical evaluation, respirator fit test, and training prior to use of the respirator. We offer qualitative respirator fit testing in compliance with Appendix A of the OSHA Standard 1910.134. The fit test determines if the respirator forms a complete seal with the person’s face.

The cost is $5/test, please call, email, or stop by to schedule a fit testing.

Onsite Support

The Extension office staff is proud to serve our local producers, ranchers, farmers, and residents of Garfield County. Give us a call, send us an email, or swing by our office to schedule a site visit or see how we can best assist you.