Welcome to Food for Thought

Giddy up: CSU plans special events during the National Western Stock Show

This year, the stock show runs Jan. 10-25. CSU students, employees, alumni, and volunteers will join some 700,000 expected visitors. They will wear many hats – exhibitor, educator, spectator – yet all have a role in celebrating Colorado’s agricultural heritage. Read more

Things to see, do, and learn: CSU Spur plans special activities during the National Western Stock Show

Spur is going big to welcome thousands of visitors who will walk through the doors of its three buildings during the stock show. The campus will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. all 16 days. Read more

Solutions in agriculture: CSU Ag Innovation Center shapes the future of farming and ranching

As an extension of CSU’s land-grant mission, the CSU Ag Innovation Center is centered on helping farmers and ranchers solve problems. “What the Ag Innovation Center does is really an extension of CSU’s land-grant mission. We bring together producers, startups, corporates, and researchers to solve problems that matter to our producers at scale,” says Jordan Kraft Lambert, director of the center. Read more

Hall of fame: Two CSU leaders join 2026 Colorado agriculture inductees

Two educators with decades of leadership at CSU will be among the four agriculturists inducted into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame at a banquet Feb. 26. Read more

The future of animal welfare: Temple Grandin’s graduate students describe her influence

In a new video produced by Barnfly Productions, four of Grandin’s current graduate students describe their interactions with the famous professor. “She wants to give everyone the opportunity to try everything and see what they like and what they don’t like and let that shape their direction,” says Erika Franson, an animal science doctoral student. Read more

Fresh meat | Won’t buy discolored meat? You might be adding to significant global waste

Each year, about one-third of the food produced globally is lost or wasted. A CSU researcher hopes to put a dent in the problem with investigation of consumer preferences, options for alternative packaging, and the connection between bacteria and discoloration. Read more

Urp | Cattle contribute to climate change. How can that be solved?

AgNext, a Colorado State University research group, is examining methods to better measure and mitigate methane emissions from cattle with support from some of the biggest businesses and organizations in agriculture. Read more

Mining the markets | CSU agricultural economist plumbs cattle market data for insights

With the National Western Stock Show coming up in Denver, SOURCE caught up with Stephen Koontz to ask about the cattle and beef markets in 2025 and the outlook for 2026. He says of today’s beef demand: “We have the same quantity of beef, but consumers are paying higher prices. So, it’s not that we’re eating more beef, but we are paying more for the beef we do eat. Supplies are tight — and will not expand for several years — and the markets are also driven by the quality of the beef compared to 10 or 20 years ago. When is the last time you had a bad steak?” Read more

Beef sticks | CSU students help hungry Colorado kids

Beef Sticks for Backpacks has donated more than 3.2 million high-protein beef sticks for Colorado children facing food insecurity – kids who lack access to enough nutritious food to meet basic health needs. Read more

Clients wanted for Landscape Design and Contracting student capstone projects

The CSU Landscape Design and Contracting program is looking for community clients for student-led capstone projects. They offer professional-quality landscape designs, from small xeriscapes to large estates. Projects cost $350 for sites under 10,000 square feet and start at $600 for larger properties. All fees help support student participation in a national competition. If you are interested, fill out the community services interest form. Read more

Leadership and Student Success with Dr. Patrick Doyle

Episode 28 of the AgNext Podcast features Dr. Patrick Doyle, head of CSU’s Department of Animal Sciences. He talks about his background, leadership philosophy, and vision for the department. He also discusses his journey into animal science, the value of mentorship, student success, industry partnerships, and expanding opportunities like internships, undergraduate research, and working across disciplines. Read more

Nearly every corn seed planted in Colorado is covered in insecticide. Lawmakers may restrict the chemical

Colorado farmers use neonicotinoid-coated seeds to protect their crops. Proposed legislation would restrict these seeds because of environmental risks. Lisa Blecker, a senior instructor in agricultural biology and administrator of the Pesticide Regulatory Education Program (PREP), points out that there are no perfect alternatives for pest control. All pesticides have trade-offs between benefits and harm. Read more