The Colorado Department of Agriculture told its Ag Commission that the pilot Ag Stewardship Tax Credit, which opened for applications at 10 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 10, was fully requested within about 1 minute and 52 seconds.

Commissioner Kate Greenberg introduced the update and Evan of the department’s conservation services team told commissioners the program’s $3,000,000 allocation for this year — plus $2,000,000 in wait‑list capacity — was effectively oversubscribed in under two minutes. "It took 1 minute and 52 seconds it took for us to max out our funding," Evan said, noting total requests in the two‑hour window reached roughly $9.7 million.

Why it matters: that immediate demand signals strong producer interest in stewardship incentives but creates equity and implementation questions for a first‑in‑the‑nation state tax‑credit program. Department staff emphasized they designed the statutory application as first‑come, first‑served and had made the application available in advance so applicants could prepare final attestations at launch.

How applications will be evaluated: Evan said department staff will review each application for basic eligibility (is the applicant a qualifying farm or ranch and does the proposed practice fit the program rules), then assess the feasibility of the proposed practices (for example, if an applicant claims to propose rotational grazing, does the parcel show evidence of grazing?). Awarded applicants will receive a certificate; additional on‑the‑ground verification will follow, including staff site visits or applicant‑supplied satellite imagery, to confirm practices were implemented as claimed.

The department acknowledged shortcomings tied to the first‑come, first‑served statutory design, particularly for producers with limited internet access. Evan said staff answered calls before and after launch and will review whether program rules or administration can be improved for future rounds. The commission did not take a formal vote on the program during the meeting.

Next steps: the department will complete the eligibility and plan reviews, notify awardees and maintain a waitlist for next year’s funding if applications cannot be funded this year. Staff said they plan to report back to the commission with outcomes and any recommended adjustments to improve accessibility and equity.