BOULDER — A group of Boulder County restaurants are among the first to join the newly launched Restore Colorado program aimed at raising funding to help farmers implement regenerative farming practices. 

The program is a public-private partnership among James Beard Humanitarian of the Year winner Zero Foodprint, regenerative agriculture nonprofit group Mad Agriculture, Boulder County, the city of Boulder, and Denver’s Office of Climate Action, Sustainability, and Resiliency.  

“Under the Restore Colorado banner, Zero Foodprint member restaurants collect a few cents per meal to provide grants for carbon farming projects overseen by Mad Agriculture,” according to a Boulder County news release. “This funding helps Colorado farmers and ranchers implement regenerative practices such as compost application, perennial and cover crop planting, reduced tillage, and grazing management to build healthy soil. These carbon farming projects advance regional climate initiatives around carbon sequestration, resilience, waste reduction, and circular economies.”

Boulder County participants include:

• GB Culinary (Longmont).
• Nude Foods (Boulder).
• River and Woods (Boulder).
• Subway (all five Boulder locations).
• Whistling Boar (Longmont).

“We are in a climate crisis, which can often make us feel helpless. Restore Colorado tackles climate change, supports our local producers, and creates healthier soils on local farms and ranches — it’s a win-win,” Boulder County Office of Sustainability director Susie Strife said in a prepared statement. “Boulder County is thrilled to be a part of such an innovative program.”

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