Colorado Special Session Delivers
Colorado lawmakers’ extraordinary session allocated $300 million dollars to support Coloradans through the COVID-19 pandemic. Much of that will assist rural and agricultural communities.
While the Extraordinary Session delivered 10 bills to assist businesses and families, lawmakers and advocates say more relief is still needed from the federal government.
Jordan Beezley Policy Advisor and Legislative Liaison for the Department of Agriculture.
Beezley: “The bills that have been passed during the extraordinary session are really just stop-gap measures to help Coloradans get by over the next couple months and we really do need the federal government to step up and provide additional aid to the states to be able to support all our citizens. There’s just not the resources needed at the state level to be able to meet all those needs.”
Bills passed include one that will support broadband access for rural students. While the 20 million dollars do not directly to ag they will help support families that work in the ag sector.
$5 million dollars for grants to food pantries and part of that includes a preference for Colorado agricultural products
A tax relief bill for restaurants, bars, and vintners will help keep markets open for smaller ag producers who rely on direct sales to these restaurants and bars.
$37 million dollars to small businesses distributed through local governments will help small ag businesses who are eligible for the funds.
$54 million for emergency housing assistance also may include those in rural and agriculture areas
$ 5 million dollars for energy assistance and low-income households available for all Coloradans in need.
Negotiators in DC have come to a loose agreement on a $908 billion rescue package. The measure would provide $26 billion to food assistance and farm programs, $10 billion for broadband. Small businesses would get around $288 billion in emergency loans and other support. More on that as the week progresses.
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Jordan Beezley Policy Advisor and Legislative Liaison for the Department of Agriculture.
Beezley: “At the Colorado Department of Agriculture, we have been advocating since the beginning for aid to the agricultural sector and working with the governor’s office as well as with the National Association of States Departments of Agriculture to advocate for relief funding specifically for the agricultural sector. “
