Author: Rebecca Hill

Redi Reports

Economic Contribution of the Green Industry for Colorado in 2024: A 2026 Update

  • August 2026
Colorado’s allied Green industry generated between $6.54 billion and $11.29 billion in total economic activity in 2024, including $3.74 billion to $6.42 billion in direct industry output. The industry supported between 39,890 and 68,279 jobs statewide, generated $2.45–4.23 billion in labor income, and contributed $4.21–7.10 billion in value added to Colorado’s economy.…
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Redi Reports

Economic Impacts of Irrigated Acreage Loss in Colorado’s Lower Arkansas River Valley

  • May 2026
The lower Arkansas River Valley has experienced long-term declines in irrigated acreage as agricultural water has been transferred to other uses. Irrigated land represents a small share of total acreage in the region, but it supports higher-value crop production and local economic activity. Using an input-output model, we estimate that losing approximately 3,043 irrigated acres per year reduces regional economic activity by about $4.4 million to $4.9 million annually.…
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Redi Reports

Economic Analysis of Groundwater Curtailment in Colorado’s Republican River Basin

  • January 2026
An agreement between the states of Colorado, Nebraska, and Kansas, related to the Republican River Compact, requires that 25,000 acres in Colorado’s South Fork Focus Zone be removed from irrigated production by 2030. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in the curtailment of all groundwater irrigation across the Republican River Basin in Colorado.…
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Redi Reports

Colorado Farmer Strategies for Addressing Wheat Stem Sawfly Risks: Strategies and Regional Patterns from a 2023 Producer Survey

  • December 2025
Past Infestation and Threat Perception: Sixty percent of farmers reported past wheat stem sawfly infestation, and 86% viewed it as a threat, indicating widespread awareness and concern among Colorado wheat producers. Prevention Practices: The most adopted prevention measures were increasing crop diversification (46%) and planting semi-solid or solid-stem wheat varieties (44%), while practices like insecticide use and edge trap cropping were least utilized.…
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Redi Reports

What Does the Community Value? Assessing Priorities for the Fairground Upgrades in Park County, Colorado

Top Priorities for upgrades: The livestock barn and indoor arena ranked as the highest priorities, followed by the horse barn and community dining/event hall. Amenities that Matter Most: Year-round restrooms were strongly supported, while other options like cafés and childcare were ranked lower. Visitor Profile: Nearly half of fair attendees stayed overnight, with most choosing campgrounds or RV parks underscoring the fair’s role in local tourism and visitor spending.…
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Redi Reports

The Proposed Denver Ordinance Banning Animal Slaughter: Implications for the Animal Sector and Economy

  • May 2024
There is a proposed ordinance to ban the operation of existing and future livestock harvest operations in Denver, a hub of lamb processing for the state and nation, representing 15- 20% of US lamb harvest capacity. The most pessimistic potential economic impact to the Colorado economy is a reduction of $861 million in current economic activity and 2,787 jobs after accounting for multiplier effects.…
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Redi Reports

The Economic Contribution of River-Based Recreation in the Little Yampa Canyon, Colorado

  • November 2023
River-based recreation on the Yampa River contributes $70,373.68 in estimated output to Craig, CO. A proposed 660-acre public land acquisition would provide an additional $109,497.02 in output. Increasing recreational amenities and quality will provide a positive impact to visitation, increasing expenditures by up to 30.4% per quality improvement.…
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Redi Reports

Hemp Value Chains at Ten Years

  • August 2023
Nationally, hemp land area remains less than 15% of 2019 peak Despite this decreasing trend, the share intended for fiber production increased in 2021–22. Recent statistics from the 2022 USDA National Hemp Report suggest that hemp producers are younger and less experienced on average as compared to all U.S.…
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Redi Reports

Alternative methods for substantiating payments for conservation easements in Colorado

  • October 2020
Colorado House Bill 19-1264 is to investigate an alternative method to establish the amount of tax credits for which a qualified conservation easement contribution would be eligible. Conservation easements can be valued based on the expected estimated value of lost opportunity the landowner is suffering to convey the easement or the expected estimated value of the benefits to society from the ecosystem services protected or nurtured by the easement.…
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