Beyond farms & ranches: agriculture experts see collaboration as key to growth.

• Author: Martin, Maria
• Position: AG REPORT

IT'S OLD NEWS THAT COLORADO IS HEEF COUNTRY.

IN FACT, a 2012 Census of Agriculture report put the state at No. 5 in U.S. ranking of beef production and in the Top 10 for a category that includes sheep and goats, wheat, potatoes and carrots.

But Tom Lipetzky thinks what is most impressive is the innovation that brings to fruition these seemingly simple products.

The director of marketing programs and strategic innovations for the Colorado Department of Agriculture notes that the "Advancing the Agriculture Economy through Innovation" summit planned for March 19-20 will draw disparate businesses together to talk about a business sector often overlooked, especially when it comes to technology.

"People think of agriculture as farmers and ranchers," Lipetzky says. "Ag is broader than that. It's the seed suppliers, the genetics folks, the people in shipping and in retail. We're looking at the broader view of the value chain, from inputs to the consumer."

According to Jane Saltzman--director of content for the Boulder-based VanHeyst Group, an organizing partner for the summit --highlights for the event include a water-centric "firing line panel," with participants from the innovation, energy, legal, policy, science, management and municipality sectors. Also on deck: a panel on the evolution of the fast casual food market and its relationship with the food producers. Then a session will explore the up-and-coming hemp industry, with local industry trailblazers who are pursuing growth, processing and product development of the controversial plant.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Integral to the industry's success is that Colorado draws some of the finest researchers in the nation, Lipetzky says, highlighting the role of institutions such as Colorado State University.

Gregory Graff, associate professor of agriculture and economics at CSU, is lead author of a new report outlining the significance and growth possibilities for the agricultural industry in the state. It follows a report pulled together last year.

"The governor's office asked us to analyze the ag industry through the lens of (Gov. John) Hickenlooper's economic plan," Graff says.

The blueprint asked each industry to look at areas such as regulatory challenges, attracting and retaining companies, branding, innovation and new technology, according to Graff.

The team made a number of discoveries between the 2013 and 2014 industry accounts. For instance, "The Emergence of an Innovation Cluster in the...