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Other Programs and Grants

The Weed Free Forage program created by the Colorado Department of Agriculture inspects forage or mulch before it is harvested to verify that there are no propagative plant parts of noxious weeds. The use of certified weed free forage and mulch is intended to reduce the spread of weeds on public lands or other areas where forage or mulch is used.

Residents of Larimer County are highly encouraged to use weed free forage for a variety of reasons. Forage that is not certified is often filled with noxious weeds and noxious weed seeds. This presents a danger to livestock and wildlife because some of these weeds are toxic and can cause illness or death. Additionally, many of the noxious weeds found in imported hay are not yet present in Colorado and we'd like to keep it that way. When livestock eat weed infested forage, a certain percentage of the weed seeds will travel through their system and back onto the pasture where they germinate and grow into plants capable of producing hundreds or thousands more seeds.

Bottom line - Use Weed Free Forage certified by the Colorado Department of Agriculture!

For a list of producers, please visit:http://www.ag.state.co.us/DPI/WeedFreeForage/publications/producerlist.pdf

For information on becoming a certified grower please visit the Department of Agriculture, Division of Plant Industry or call 303-239-4149

Read the law in it's entirety at http://www.ag.state.co.us/DPI/WeedFreeForage/WeedFreeAct.pdf

Cost-Share Programs and Grants

The Larimer County Weed District has partnered with Colorado Division of Wildlife's Northern Larimer County Habitat Partnership Program. Properties eligible for this program are those located north of the Poudre river.

The Larimer County Department of Parks and Open Lands offers small grant programs to help landowners. Look at their website for more information on how you can apply.

The National Fish and Wildlife foundation offers several grants that might help pay for seed. Check out their list of currents grants at http://www.nfwf.org/grant_apply.cfm

The Colorado Division of Wildlife aids landowners who want to restore their property. Look at their funding website for more information.

The Colorado Department of Agriculture might be able to help you offset the cost of seed. Their website is http://www.ag.state.co.us/DPI/SeedandApiary/seed.html

The Natural Resource Conservation Service is there to help landowners. Look at their website to see if they can help you. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs

USDA Assistance Programs in Larimer County - Resources and assistance from the USDA. Find out if you qualify!

Seed Distributors
Pawnee Buttes
605 25th St
Greeley,  CO 80631 - 8420
(970) 356-7002

Sharp Bros
101 E 4 Street Rd
Greeley,  80631 - 9530
(970) 356-4710

Poudre Valley Co-op
225 N W Frontage Rd
Fort Collins,  CO 80524 - 9265
(970) 221-5300

Just a note when buying landscaping materials
Watch out for weed contaminated compost, fill dirt, and other landscaping materials. Always look at the large piles at a site. If there is Canada thistle growing in their soil piles, it is a bad place to purchase your garden soil! Also, look at the surrounding landscape or area and check for noxious weeds. If you see them around the property, they are likely in the landscaping materials. Remember: You don't have to see a large plant in the mulch for it to be infested. Seeds are trouble too!