Poudre Valley Community Farms outlines land-access expansion, shared washpack and farmer interviews

Poudre Valley Community Farms (PVCF) presented a plan Feb. 10 to expand municipal and private land access for local farmers, pilot greenhouse-gas–reducing practices and build shared infrastructure to support small producers.

Stacy Lischka, executive director of Poudre Valley Community Farms, told the Larimer County Board of County Commissioners the organization will use grant funding to interview farmers, refine a pilot land-access program and begin bringing municipal partners into the effort in 2026.

Why it matters: Access to land, water and shared processing infrastructure influences whether small and beginning farmers can scale businesses, adopt conservation agriculture practices and supply local markets.

Key points from PVCF

- Farmer interviews and timeline: PVCF and Colorado Open Lands received $18,000 from the Colorado Water Conservation Board and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to conduct interviews and working groups with producers. That work will start in the coming months and is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

- Shared washpack facility: PVCF said it was awarded a $350,000 grant from USDA and the Colorado Department of Agriculture to build a shared washpack facility where farmers can wash, package and store produce. PVCF said the shared facility will allow investment in water- and energy-efficiency measures and reduce the need for each producer to build separate infrastructure.

- Land access and leases: PVCF said it provides access through owned land, municipal contracts and private land partnerships and offers multi-year leases (the group cited five-year leases as an approach used to provide business stability). PVCF also described work to serve as a neutral facilitator and provide example leases, questions and guidance so producers and landowners can negotiate arrangements.

- Support services: PVCF said it will expand producer working groups, provide mentorship and connect producers with markets, and that new program staff will be hired in 2025 to support these efforts.

Commissioner follow-up and context

Commissioner John Kefalas and others asked how PVCF can help farmers who can secure only short-term leases. Lischka said PVCF’s approach includes acting as a resource and neutral facilitator, providing example leases and convening producers and landowners to improve transparency and stability.

What’s next

PVCF plans to complete farmer interviews by the end of 2025, refine the pilot program and start bringing additional municipal partners into the program in 2026. No formal county action or vote was taken during the presentation.

Sources: Presentation by Stacy Lischka, executive director, Poudre Valley Community Farms; Feb. 10, 2025 work session.