Visiting Sakata Farms: A Legacy of Adaptation and Resilience

Today I visited Robert Sakata, a farmer based in Brighton, Colorado. Robert is the son of Bob Sakata, the founder of Sakata Farms. After being imprisoned in a Japanese internment camp in Utah during World War II, Bob came to Colorado determined to build a new life. He began farming with cut flowers but soon transitioned to vegetables. Colorado’s dry climate proved ideal for growing vegetables, helping reduce the risk of fungal disease.

At its peak, Sakata Farms spanned 6,000 acres and employed 400 seasonal workers. However, the cost of housing that many employees for just an eight-week harvest season eventually made the model unsustainable. Robert pivoted to growing feed crops for livestock and now manages 2,500 acres with a team of 14 employees.

This is just one example of the many challenges modern farmers face. Rising costs, rapid urban development, water rights disputes, and competition from larger out-of-state operations all place pressure on small and mid-sized farms. Additionally, many farms face uncertain futures as the current generation of farmers ages and younger generations often choose different paths.

Robert is also the first-ever water advisor for Colorado’s Department of Agriculture. Speaking with him, I began to grasp the complexity of water rights and usage in our state. Colorado sits at the headwaters of several major river systems that feed much of the Western U.S. At the same time, the Front Range is experiencing rapid population growth, which puts increasing pressure on water resources. As suburban areas expand, the needs of urban development often clash with those of agricultural water use.
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When Colorado was first settled, most farms used flood irrigation. Today, many have transitioned to sprinkler systems and other more efficient irrigation methods. But even with advances in technology, the intersection of farming, water, and policy remains tangled and challenging.