Sustainable Agriculture Literature Review - Boulder County

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11.3 Infrastructure
Research shows that local agriculture infrastructure is limited in the Boulder County
Region. Local sources of agriculture infrastructure, including input suppliers, processing
plants, equipment repair companies, and storage facilities, help to reduce transportation
and logistical costs for farmers and can help steady the supply of local produce to
consumers.
Farm equipment represents a significant investment for farmers. In Boulder County, the
market value of all machinery and equipment grew from $33,698,000 in 2002 to
$49,705,000 in 2007. Expenditures on supplies, repairs, and maintenance of this
equipment made up seven percent ($2,296,000) of total production expenses in 2002
and eight percent ($3,181,000) in 2007. 840 While farm equipment supply and repair
companies exist in the state of Colorado, it is difficult to determine how many there are,
their proximity to Boulder County, and prices charged for various services.
As of 2007, 34 farms have grain storage capacity in Boulder County that can hold a
combined total of 298,800 bushels. Average capacity for Boulder County is about 8,788
bushels per farm, which is quite low compared to the statewide average of 38,088
bushels per farm. Most farms in Boulder County (19) store the grain for crop production,
while the remaining 15 farms use it for animal production. 841 Data on storage for other
crops (e.g. potatoes, onions, and beans) was limited.
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