DPI The Colorado Department of Agriculture's Division of Plant Industry performs a wide array of services for the public and engages in several important environmental and public health protection programs. Beginning as the Bureau of Plant and Insect Control in 1937 the agency was under the direction of the State Entomologist. The Organic Certification Program serves both producers and consumers of organically grown crops through licensing and inspection. This program assures consumers that these crops are produced without the use of synthetic pesticides an d fertilizers and allows participating producers to sell their crops as Colorado Certified Organic.
Nurseries gain credibility by being part of a regulated industry.
The program also provides the certification required by other states for the exportation of nursery stock. The Phytosanitary Certification Program makes it possible for Colorado producers to export produce, seeds, and other plant commodities to foreign countries through inspection and issuance of phytosanitary export certificates. The Colorado Seed Act requires truth in labeling of seed offered for sale in Colorado. The intent of the Act is to prevent the distribution of poor quality seed to consumers that result in low crop yields, poor crop quality, and the s pread of noxious weed seed. The Weed Free Forage Program inspects forage or mulch before it is harvested to verify that there are no propagative plant parts of noxious weeds.