Drought Leadership Training will take place in early spring 2022. The hybrid learning environment will combine virtual and in-person training opportunities. Missed a webinar? View recordings and access materials here.

CEUs are available from Certified Crop Advisors and the Society for Range Management (Pending).

Participants will need to join 3 of the 4 webinars or watch the recording to attend the in-person training and receive CEU credit. However, drop-ins are welcome for individual webinars if you do not plan on attending the full series. Questions? Contact droughtadvisors@colostate.edu

Virtual Training #1: Using Forecasts in Drought Planning

February 4th, 11:00am – 1:00pm

Turn drought information into action. 

Drought information and forecasts can be hard to put into action. This virtual training will change that by communicating what we know and don’t know about weather and streamflow forecasts for Colorado, and demonstrate when and how to use them in a drought plan.  Join us to understand more on forecast reliability, and see examples of how this information can be applied to an agricultural operation’s annual planning.  

What’s Next?

• Three more virtual trainings
• One in-person event
• Opportunity to become a part of the drought advisors organization to continue working with drought
• Help shape a handbook on drought in Colorado

Virtual Training #2: Risk Management

February 11th, 11:00am – 1:00pm

Learn about risk management tools and programs. Develop a risk management toolkit.

The impact of drought goes beyond dry land and decreased productivity within an operation. There are five main sources of risk in an agricultural operation: production risk, marketing risk, financial risk, legal risk, and human risk.  Drought has the capacity to impact all areas of risk, making drought planning critical for an operation.  This virtual training will provide tools to manage these additional risks and raise awareness of programs and tools available to help.  

What’s Next?

• Two more virtual trainings
• One in-person event
• Opportunity to become a part of the drought advisors organization to continue working with drought
• Help shape a handbook on drought in Colorado

Virtual Training #3: Livestock and Range Drought Management

February 18th, 11:00am – 1:00pm

Gain actionable tools and resources to manage rangeland and livestock operations during drought.

Ranching operations differ widely across the state, and drought response follows that complexity. This virtual training will focus on livestock and rangeland drought management from the perspective of four ranchers across the state who are innovators in drought response and preparedness. Leave this training with new ideas and an ability to locate decision-making tools and to quickly evaluate choices. 

What’s Next?

• One in-person event
• Opportunity to become a part of the drought advisors organization to continue working with drought
• Help shape a handbook on drought in Colorado

Virtual Training #4: Crops Drought Management

March 4th, 11:00am – 1:00pm

Gain actionable tools and resources to manage cropping systems during drought.

Agricultural operations differ widely across the state, and drought response follows that complexity. This virtual training will focus on drought management for crops. This focused training will cover critical periods, triage decision making, irrigation monitoring, and strategic soil management. Learn from your peers and leave this training knowing resources that are available, drought adaptability per cropping type, and understanding of critical periods by crop. 

What’s Next?

• One in-person event
• Opportunity to become a part of the drought advisors organization to continue working with drought
• Help shape a handbook on drought in Colorado

In-Person Final Training: Drought Planning and Stress Management

Build a framework for action.

The Drought Training Series culminates in this final in-person event. This will be an interactive event where attendees will take a deep dive into the building blocks of drought planning as a framework for action. We will also cover stress management in drought, communication skills and succession considerations with drought.

Two Options to Attend:

• March 8-9th at the CSU Western Colorado Research Campus, Grand Junction, Colo. 
• UPDATE: EVENT WILL ONLY TAKE PLACE MARCH 16th at the River View Event Center in Morgan County, Colo.

What’s Next?

• Opportunity to become a part of the drought advisors organization to continue working with drought
• If you are a producer, join us for one-on-one advising
• If you are a service provider, join Colorado Drought Advisors to put these skills into practice
• Help shape a handbook on drought in Colorado