By Jacob Lebsack

The first day of the 2022 Colorado Legislative Session provided insight into what leadership is expecting from their parties. Education, crime, cost of living, the impacts of Covid-19, and the economy were popular points among both democrats and republicans. Despite the range of policy priorities, agriculture was absent from the conversation. 

After gaveling in, the House and Senate leadership took the podium for their opening day speeches. Speaker of the House Rep. Alec Garnett vowed to make lowering the cost of living his number one priority in an effort to “make life more affordable for families in our state.”

Senate President Sen. Leroy Garcia shared a similar mission. “We are going to support small businesses, grow our state’s economy, and make sure that our recovery continues to lift up all Coloradans.”

Following the remarks of the majority leadership, House Minority Leader Rep. Hugh McKean noted that Colorado’s families are facing daily pain and that the Republican Party is committed to doing “everything we can to help bring the American Dream back.”

In the Senate, Minority Leader Sen. Chris Holbert highlighted three points that “have become undeniable for most Coloradans: Our state is less affordable than it was one year ago; Colorado families are less safe than they were one year ago; and, students are further behind than they were one year ago.”

Senator Holbert’s speech concluded with the vow that “Senate Republicans will focus on addressing these three issues” over the next 120 days. 

Representing Colorado’s farmers and ranchers is a critical part of what the Colorado Farm Bureau team does. Your membership supports the organization’s policy team who stands under the golden dome to fight for agriculture and represent the industry’s interests with policy leaders. 

Considered “the adults in the room,” Colorado Farm Bureau’s lobby team takes grassroots policy developed by members and fights for those beliefs as bills and policies make their way through the political system.

To learn more about what issues Colorado Farm Bureau expects to see this coming year, click here.

More information on the Colorado Farm Bureau’s policy process is available on our website.