Hickenlooper signs Local Foods, Local Jobs Act

Hickenlooper signs Local Foods, Local Jobs Act

Local Foods, Local Jobs Act [SB-48] signing

Sponsors and supporters look on as Gov. Hickenlooper signs SB-48 into law.


On Thursday, March 15, Governor John Hickenlooper signed the bipartisan Local Foods, Local Jobs Act (SB-48) into law.  The Act , sponsored by Sen. Gail Schwartz (D-Snowmass) and Rep. Don Coram (R-Montrose), supports local, small-scale growers and producers by creating alternative methods for them to sell homemade, value added goods. 

This legislation will allow small growers to sell their products directly to consumers, jump starting local economies and increasing the availability of healthy, locally grown foods.

Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture John Salazar, as well as local farmers and producers Monica Wiitanen and Beth Conrey were present to show their support at the bill signing.  Wiitanen, who is also a WCC member from Paonia, received one of the three pens Hickenlooper used to sign the bill.

“Our path through the legislature this year went smoothly since we were building on what we did last year,” said Wiitanen.  “That, and knowing that so many other states have passed similar bills, and that they contribute to the homegrown prosperity of our farms and communities.”

About the author

After working for our Alliance for 32 years, Brenda retired in 2018 and took a two-year hiatus before rejoining the fold as a board member. She is a treasure trove of little known facts about the organization after managing everything from the membership database to our communications. Her other interests include dabbling in a number of artforms, hiking, botany (her college major), t'ai chi and chi gung, and swing dancing. With roots in western Washington state, she has lived in Montrose with her husband Kevin since 1984.