Sometimes we all want to take a trip down memory lane.

Those memories can be painful at times if you are a minority senator. But as a senator from a rural Colorado minority, think back to all the bad laws, proclamations, executive orders, and departmental appointments you’ve seen in the past few years. The pain is indescribable.

We represent Weld, Logan, Morgan, Phillips, Sedgwick, Washington and Yuma counties in the heart of rural Colorado. Agriculture is one of the major industries there, not only in our county, but throughout the state and country as well. Weld County is the number one beef producing region in Colorado and one of the top five beef producers in the United States.

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And let’s not forget the production of corn, wheat, potatoes, onions and carrots, as well as lamb, turkey, pig and chicken production. The list of products coming out of northern and eastern Colorado is endless. Without Colorado’s farmers and ranchers to help feed America, supermarket shelves would dry up.

In fact, agriculture is Colorado’s second-largest economic driver, contributing $47 billion to the economy each year.

But Jared Polis seems to enjoy slapping voters in the face every year since being elected Governor of Colorado.

In 2019, Senate Bill 19-181 created new oil and gas regulations, curbing new development and cutting thousands of jobs.

In 2020, he appointed Ellen Kessler as a state veterinary board appointee, and her animal rights activism and vegan lifestyle have sparked much controversy in the farming community. She eventually resigned in 2022 amid further controversy. Also in 2020, the City of Polis signed an over-regulation bill for the egg industry that would require cage-free egg production, which has contributed to the skyrocketing egg prices after it takes effect in 2023.

2021 has been a big year for The Police. He signed Senate Bill 21-087, the so-called Farm Workers Rights and Responsibilities Act, which set a minimum wage and allowed farm workers to form unions. In just two years, many farming operations were adversely affected. He also declared March 20 as “Meat-Out Day” and encouraged Coloradoans to eat no meat on that day. And his nepotism became apparent when he gave his husband the leverage to make decisions on Proposition 16 (better known as the PAUSE Act), which criminalizes certain animal husbandry, reproductive health, and medical practices. became. Thankfully, this was ruled unconstitutional by a court and was not included in the 2022 ballot.

In 2022, the Police appointed yet another anti-agriculture woman to a key post. Rebecca Niemiek has been appointed program manager for the State Animal Welfare Service. Niemiek has conducted research supporting the reintroduction of wolves.

And just last month, Police decided to veto Senate Bill 23-256. The bill would ensure that livestock producers protect their herds from wolf attacks and protect their way of life under the new introduction program.

Aside from that, Polis insults the industry every year in his State of the Union address, failing to recognize the importance of agriculture. He may have dropped keywords here and there over the years, but in his five speeches he made a point of talking about our industry and celebrating it. Never. No matter how much thought went into preparing these speeches, they are never forgotten by chance. Everything is by design.

This must stop! It’s time for Colorado’s ranchers and farmers to get some respect from the governor. It starts with everyone in the industry attending as many meetings and events as possible to make their presence felt.

A big thank you to everyone who works in our food production process and chain. Whether ranchers or corn growers, all stakeholders need to come together as one powerful voice for Colorado’s agriculture. We are not the type to create stories in pieces. The Governor is ignoring us and we need to unite and stand up.

Byron Pelton is a Republican from Stirling who represents the First District of the Colorado Senate. Barbara Kirkmeyer is a Republican from Brighton who represents the 23rd district of the Colorado Senate.