Broadband
General broadband coverage is available with 6 providers supplying service to the area. Each of Baca County’s Towns have Gigabit Fiber which can be tapped into by businesses or residents wishing to locate in the area. At this time, businesses and residents can connect into the fiber for a fee. The fees vary depending on location.
Geographic
Baca County is located in the Southeastern corner of Colorado, bordered by Oklahoma, New Mexico and Kansas. The county is 2,558 square miles with a population density of 1.5 per square mile. The average elevation is 4,295 feet.
Industrial Parks
Baca County has a 12-acre Industrial Park on the north end of Springfield. Infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer are needed in the park area for additional expansion.
Largest Industry Sectors
Agriculture and Value-Added Ag
Corn, wheat, sorghum, hemp, sunflowers, cattle, pigs, goats and equine.
The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) has announced three industrial hemp seed varieties have passed the statewide THC validation and observation trial and are now eligible to be grown by the Colorado Seed Growers Association for production of “CDA Approved Certified Seed.” Colorado state law requires that industrial hemp tests at or below 0.3% THC on a dry weight basis. Seed varieties were grown and tested in the northeast, southeast, Front Range, the San Luis Valley and on the Western Slope. These five locations vary in daytime and nighttime temperatures, in altitude, length of growing season, and soil types.
Healthcare
Healthcare is a very important sector in our community and in the region. They are among the largest employers in the county. Hospital, clinic and long term care services are available.
Light Manufacturing
Baca County is home to successful manufacturers that export 95% of their product and have been here for 20 plus years. This is an area the county would like to continue to expand on. A manufacturing sector partnership has been formed in the region to look at supply chains, workforce training and other positives in the region.
Hunting/Recreation/Tourism
This is a growing sector within the County with just under 10,000 hunters visiting the county and thousands of visitors that explore the Canyons yearly. Birding is also very popular with over 400 species of birds that either migrate through the area or are native to the area. Two Buttes Reservoir, the Black Hole and Turks Pond provide water sports and fishing to the area.