Colorado Grain Chain Seeks to Increase Market Demand and Awareness for Locally Grown Grains
In partnership with: Colorado Department of Agriculture
Kevin Poss’ grandfather grew Scout 66, a cool-season wheat variety, on the family farm in Hugo. While grain production has changed significantly in the past three generations, Kevin continues growing the winter wheat variety.“My father and grandfather both sold their grains into the commodity system,” says Kevin, a Colorado Grain Chain member. “We sell direct to consumer, and I am so grateful to my customers who make it possible for me to still carry on the family tradition of farming grains close to Hugo.”
Kevin operates the farm Grains From the Plains with his wife, Laura, and their seven children.
The nonprofit Colorado Grain Chain was established in 2019 to help members, like the Poss family, connect with each other and consumers to promote and sell Colorado-grown heritage, ancient and locally adapted grains.
“Our strengths are in spreading awareness about Colorado’s grains and the role consumers can play in supporting our local farmers, millers, bakers, brewers, maltsters, distillers and chefs,” says Audrey Paugh, marketing and networking specialist for Colorado Grain Chain.
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Links of Success
The idea for Colorado Grain Chain germinated at Grain School, a hands-on collaboration with the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs (UCCS) and the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. Grain School provides educational opportunities around local grain production and the nutritional, culinary and community topics related to grain value chains.
It’s evolved to include a co-brand allowing products containing at least 20% local grains – preferably whole grains – to use the “Colorado Grown Grains” label.
Nanna Meyer, associate professor at UCCS, hopes the Colorado Grain Chain will help increase local grain production and spark the development of regional grain hubs where farmers and processors can connect to improve efficiencies and augment quality and safety for grains from farm to table.
“In the grain space, we deal with crops like millets and maize that have been around for millennia,” Meyer says. “It’s a return to diversity, not only in the field but also in kitchens, bakeries, breweries and the ways people eat.”
Laura Poss also hopes that building a local grain economy will support Colorado communities. The farm hosts a Wheat Harvest Festival in July welcoming attendees to learn more about local grain.
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“We are surrounded by grain farms on the Colorado prairie, so there are plenty of locally grown grains, but these grains are anonymously sent to feed mills and grain elevators and, in many cases, shipped across oceans,” Laura says. “Growing the grains is not enough. Locally marketed grains build the community, keep the money circulating in the Colorado economy and help farms be economically sustainable at a smaller size, which means more farming and economic opportunities in the rural areas.”