How CSU's Ag Innovation Center is helping Colorado farmers tackle drought and drive agricultural innovation

Colorado farmers and ranchers are no strangers to challenges. From persistent drought and changing weather patterns to rising costs and evolving consumer demands, producers across the state are constantly adapting.

At Colorado State University's Ag Innovation Center, Director Jordan Lambert is working to make sure they don't have to do it alone.

Based at CSU Spur in Denver, the Ag Innovation Center serves as a bridge between farmers, researchers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders, helping transform innovative ideas into practical solutions for Colorado agriculture.

Rather than simply developing new technology, Lambert says the center starts by listening to producers.

"At the Ag Innovation Center, we keep a database of every problem a farmer or rancher has ever told us about, and we have 32,000 in the state of Colorado," Lambert said. "We use that database to try to accelerate partnerships that can really solve some of those problems. One thing that we do is incubate and accelerate ag-tech companies that solve those problems."  

Lambert grew up on a dairy farm in northeast Colorado, giving her firsthand experience with the realities of life in agriculture. That background shapes the work she does today, helping connect innovative companies with the people who can benefit most from their technology.

One Colorado success story she's especially excited about comes from rancher and inventor RC Patterson of Kim, Colorado.

"One of my favorite ones right now is founder RC Patterson," Lambert said. "He's an ex-rodeo cowboy from Kim, Colorado, who is a rancher innovator and has developed the EZRation Processor."  

Lambert explained that Patterson developed the technology after facing a challenge familiar to many ranchers in southeastern Colorado: the ongoing drought.

"He was finding on his ranch down in Kim that he didn't have enough grass to support all of the mama cows to keep his ranch going over time," she said. "But he found in the winter and in drought conditions that we have now, if he can import that feed and process it in a way that is optimal for the animals' digestion, then he can save a lot of money, keep his mama cows and keep his land. So he has a really cool 'doohickey' the EZRation Processor that solves that problem."  

The Ag Innovation Center works with startups developing everything from livestock monitoring systems and food safety technologies to climate-smart farming practices. The center also connects entrepreneurs with CSU researchers, investors and producers to test new ideas and bring them to market faster.

The ultimate goal, Lambert says, is to strengthen Colorado agriculture while helping producers become more resilient in an increasingly unpredictable climate.

As Colorado continues to grapple with drought, water shortages and the growing challenges of food production, collaboration has never been more important.

By connecting innovators with the people working the land every day, the CSU Ag Innovation Center is helping turn ideas into real-world solutions that support farmers, ranchers and the future of Colorado agriculture.

Anyone with an agricultural innovation, business idea or interest in supporting the Ag Innovation Center can contact Jordan Lambert directly at Jordan.Lambert@coloradostate.edu