Field Work Logo
Field Work logo and tagline

DENVER, February 1, 2023 (Newswire.com) - As the West experiences its worst drought in the past 1,200 years and as food demand continues to increase (by as much as 98 percent by 2050, according to some estimates), Western farmers and ranchers are on the frontlines of the fight to solve water challenges. Too often, however, funding for innovative techniques that might improve water usage is hard to access and slow to reach the experts on the ground. For example, some federal programs that provide funding to agricultural producers can take one to two years before the money reaches the people in need. That's where LOR's Field Work initiative comes in. 

Through Field Work, farmers and ranchers in Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, and Wyoming are eligible for up to $10,000 to implement innovative water projects on their land. Those projects might address issues like water diversion, storage, delivery, application, and more. LOR's goal is to get money quickly into the hands of the people who have potential solutions and just need a little help to implement them. 

"We believe that those closest to the problem often have the best solutions," says Alex Dunlop, chief business development officer for the LOR Foundation. "Farmers and ranchers in places like Monte Vista, Colorado, Libby, Montana, and Questa, New Mexico, have creative, out-of-the-box solutions to water challenges. Field Work is a chance to help them put those ideas into practice and learn from them."

The hope is that this real-world research will reveal solutions that can be used throughout the West to grow food while contending with an ever-dwindling water supply. Applications for Field Work are now open, and LOR will be accepting proposals through Feb. 22 for projects that must be completed in 2023.  

For more information, visit www.lorfoundation.org/field-work. 

About the LOR Foundation: LOR works with rural communities in the Mountain West to enhance livability and prosperity while preserving the character that makes each community unique.

Media Contacts: 
To request images or to arrange interviews, please contact: 

Kasey Cordell, LOR Communications Officer 
kasey@lorfoundation.org | 720-202-2356