Janie VanWinkle
Hometown:
Grand Junction, CO
Connect: LinkedIn
Janie is excited about the potential to help her community connect and develop relationships with food producers in Colorado, which is critical to the sustainability of the industry and her area’s local economy. She sees a pathway to develop new agricultural opportunities for legacy families and first-generation families that want to be a part of food security for her area and across the nation.
Janie VanWinkle is a lifelong beef producer in western Colorado. She learned about land, livestock and community from an early age while living in very rural areas. Janie, along with her husband, son and daughter-in-law, own and manage 550 head of cattle in this area. Working in big box retail for 20 years (Ops Manager at Mervyn’s and Store Manager at Barnes & Noble) and owning her own pizza restaurant for 10 years, gave her a clear understanding of business at the corporate and family levels.
While working these jobs and owning her own businesses, she and her husband were focused on a goal set when they were 18 years old. They planned to work together on their own ranch, it just took 35 years to get there! Since 2015, they have worked together, full time, to develop VanWinkle Ranch into a successful business in western Colorado. They market cattle conventionally into the food supply chain, as well as manage a successful direct-to-consumer ground beef business. They sell over 50,000 pounds of ground beef annually in their local area. Much of it goes to a local Food Bank at a discounted price.
Janie has been active in the community by serving on the local Chamber of Commerce Board, several advisory Boards relating to Agriculture, and as the 3rd woman to serve as President of Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. She is an active and outspoken advocate for production Agriculture in Colorado and across the country.
ERC Project
Project Title:
AgriWest: Building Sustainable and Resilient Agricultural Ecosystem in Western Colorado
Host Community or Region:
Colorado
Host Organization:
Business Incubator Center
AgriWest, a groundbreaking initiative led by the Business Incubator Center, is set to revolutionize agricultural and food security systems in Western Colorado. Focused on entrepreneurial ecosystem building, Agri-Tech integration, and scalable solutions, the project is driven by a commitment to both economic growth and the preservation of the region's unique character.
At the core of AgriWest is the ERC Fellow, a pivotal force in developing partnerships, identifying funding sources, and promoting innovative solutions tailored to regional needs. Their expertise guides the implementation of sustainable practices, fostering collaborative economic opportunities across Western Colorado.
With 40 percent of the region's economy relying on agriculture, AgriWest emerges as a critical force for the future. By seamlessly connecting local farmers and shaping regional economic development strategies, the initiative not only preserves but fortifies the agricultural sector.
Strategic investments, training programs, and cutting-edge Agri-tech innovations are the driving forces behind AgriWest's mission to diversify the agricultural sector, creating employment opportunities and bolstering the local economy. In tandem, the ERC Fellow facilitates partnerships with community-based organizations, ensuring the project benefits from expert insights, contributing significantly to long-term economic prosperity in Western Colorado.
Interested in supporting this project or learning more? Contact the ERC program team here.
Photo by Kim Johansen, courtesy of The Business Incubator Center