Colo. Dept. of Agriculture To Build Broomfield Facility

BROOMFIELD, CO -- The Colorado Dept. of Agriculture has officially broken ground on a new 27,000 sq. foot facility that will house three laboratories of the agency's Inspection and Consumer Services Division. The move will consolidate the Dept. of Agriculture offices in Broomfield, moving from an almost 50-year-old facility in Denver, the agency said in a press release.

The project will renovate existing space at 305 Interlocken Pkwy and build the new facility next door. The new facility will include biochemistry labs with specialty equipment. The project will be complete in early 2019, the agency said.

“This office consolidation will create a more efficient and effective work environment for our staff while creating a 'one-stop' shop for our agricultural customers, said Commissioner of Agriculture, Don Brown in a statement. "It’s exciting to know that, in just over a year, our new laboratories will be up and running to continue providing the consumer protection efforts that affect every person in Colorado.”

According to the agency, the Division of Inspection and Consumer Services (ICS) covers the following:

consumer protection, promotion of equity in the marketplace, and animal and human health safety. Programs include providing economic protection to agricultural producers and ensuring that Colorado consumers receive products that are safe, properly labeled, and sold in an honest manner. ICS also regulates pet care facilities, animal feed, fertilizer, anhydrous ammonia, compost, farm products dealers, commodity handlers/grain warehouses, scales and other measuring devices, pricing and package weight accuracy, eggs, home food service plan operators, custom meat plants and wild game processors.

ICS has two laboratories: the Metrology Laboratory and the Biochemistry Laboratory. The Rocky Mountain Regional Animal Health Laboratory will also be located in the new building.

The project is being managed with JE Dunn Construction, a commercial general contractor, Iron Horse Architects (Architect and Lab Planner) and Wember (Owner's Rep). The building will be submitted for LEED certification, a statement said.

Image via Colorado Dept. of Agriculture