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COLDF IN'TORTANT FrR 1dD I?d%TJF TORY' <br />prime Farmland is one of our nations most important natural resources. <br />jghen managed properly, this exceptional land can be faTrned' continuously <br />without degradation. It responds to ferYit.izers and Other soil <br />amen&rtents, a_ rer ;tires Jess energy input to maintain productivity. <br />Hm,ever, like other natural resources si. as coal, oil, or natural gas, <br />the su of this land, suitahle for food ar:i fiber production, is <br />limited. <br />Under U.S. Congressional public Law D5 -67 (published ir, the Federal <br />R ,January 31, 1978} fart 6S7) , the U.S. Department of agriculture, <br />Sail ConscrVation Ser.rice, was chaTged with the ma respons ibility for <br />identifying and locating Prime and Unique Faz rdancis. In addition to <br />these lands, which are cansidered to be of national iMportance, the <br />Important Farrlland Program also encouraged the identification Of Farmlands <br />of Statewide and Local Importance. responsibility for identifying and <br />locating these lands are assume d by the State Experiment Station in <br />cooperation with the Colorado Department of Agriculture and Department <br />of Natural resources - Colorado State Soil Constirvation Board; regional <br />county", and local units of Sovernment; and other persons involved in <br />planning the use of land resources. In carder to meet - these responsibilities, <br />snaps showing the location of Important Farmlands were designed for those <br />counties having Prime Farmlands (see Appendix for map availability). <br />The specific purpose of this publication is to (1) describe the criteria <br />used for identifying the various categories Pf "Important Farmlands"; <br />provide a listcf soil map units an a county -by county basis that <br />hT. been ident -fied to date as being important Farmlands: (3) illustrate <br />ways that the Important Farmland map migh be used. <br />C-4TI GORY DEFINITIONS MD CRITERIA ' <br />Prime Fa rmland — <br />General.. prime farmland is land that has the best cOmbinatiOn of <br />phyp cal and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, forage <br />fiber, and oilseed crops, and is also ava, lahle for these uses (the <br />land could be cropland, pastureland, rangeland, forest land, or other <br />land, but not urban built -up land or water). It has the soil quality, <br />growing season, and moisture supply needed to eccnomically produce <br />sustained high yiel of crops when treated and rnana,ged, including <br />water management, according to acceptable farming methods. In gen,.:rrai, <br />prune farmlands have art adequate and dependable water supply from <br />precipitation or irrigation, a favorable temperature and growing season, <br />acceptable acidity or alkalinity, acceptable salt and sodium content, and <br />few or no rocks. They are permeable to water and air. Prime farmlands <br />are not excessively erodible or saturated with water for a long period <br />of time, and they either do not f 100d frequently cr are protected from <br />flooding. <br />1 <br />4 <br />