Building Local Food Systems: How Colorado’s Community Food Access Program Tax Credit Supports Farmers Feeding Underserved Communities

In Colorado, the people who grow our food often struggle to access it themselves. At the same time, families in rural towns and urban neighborhoods alike face long drives, high prices, and limited choices when trying to buy fresh, healthy food. The Community Food Access Program (CFAP) Tax Credit is a promising step toward changing that system and Project Protect is helping farmers in Northeast Colorado who want to apply.

The CFAP Tax Credit was created by the Colorado Legislature to incentivize local food production and sales in low-income, low-access (LILA) communities. Farmers who sell fruits, vegetables, and other nutrient-dense foods to these communities can now receive a refundable tax credit worth 75% of the value of the equipment they purchased to grow or harvest that food. For small operations, that’s a game-changer—offsetting the cost of critical infrastructure like tractors, coolers, irrigation systems, or harvest equipment that might otherwise be unattainable. If you were planning to purchase equipment before tariffs caused the prices to go up, this could be your solution.

Project Protect is working one-on-one with farmers to craft clear, compelling narratives about how their equipment expands access to healthy food and serves communities in need. We can help farmers understand how to map LILA census tracts, describe the needs in the community, and secure required letters of support from retailers or market managers. Our goal is to remove administrative barriers and ensure that farmers who are already doing the work of feeding their communities can benefit from this public investment.

The early results are promising. From walk-behind tractors to high-efficiency irrigation systems, the equipment being purchased through the tax credit is helping Colorado farmers increase their yield, grow more diverse crops, and serve more people—especially families using SNAP or Double Up Food Bucks at farmers markets. These producers are not just growing food; they are expanding access, lowering prices, and building community resilience in places where it’s needed most.

If you have questions about CFAP programs or you are interested in applying for the CFAP Tax Credit, please contact Hunter Knapp at hunter@projectprotectfoodsystems.org.