Andrew Romanoff highlights Monroe Organic Farm in Kersey

6/3/2010 - The Greeley Tribune - Nate A. Miller - As the vibrant green and rich brown landscape of the Monroe Organic Farm stood out against an overcast horizon, Andrew Romanoff knelt and planted a pepper, his tie swaying in the wind.

The former Colorado Speaker of the House stopped Wednesday at the farm as part of a statewide tour in his campaign for U.S. Senate. Romanoff faces incumbent Michael Bennet, D-Colo., in the Aug. 10 primary. On the Republican side, Weld District Attorney Ken Buck faces former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton. 

Romanoff visited the Weld County Democratic Party offices in Greeley and spent the morning and afternoon in Fort Collins. He will spend today in Denver.

The tour comes after Romanoff finished ahead of Bennet at the May 22 Democratic Party assembly. 

“I recognize the convention is not the whole ballgame,” Romanoff said in Greeley. “We're gaining ground at each stage, even though the opposition has been pouring money — thanks to its corporate friends — into the television sets of Colorado.”

Bennet campaign spokesman Trevor Kincaid said in an e-mail that Bennet has a broad base of support from around the state.

According to a Public Policy Polling survey in May, Bennet leads Romanoff 46 percent to 31 percent. Bennet also has a sizable fundraising advantage. Romanoff had $501,959 in cash on hand for the first quarter, according to Federal Election Commission documents. Bennet had $3.6 million. 

“I know that we need to raise money to get on TV, and we're doing that,” he said. “Fundraising picked up first after the caucuses and then again after the state convention.” Romanoff also came out ahead of Bennet in the precinct caucuses and at the county assemblies in March.

He said he made a campaign stop because he wanted to draw attention to the importance of supporting local businesses and food safety.

“We should look at clear labeling and clear safety requirements for genetically modified organisms for out-of-state or out-of-country products,” he said.

Jacquie Monroe, who owns Monroe Organic Farms, said people should understand where their food comes from.

“I think they need to know how far it's coming from,” she said. “Around 62 percent of our produce is being imported from other countries. I think it's important to support the farms we have now because I think a country that can't feed itself is in trouble.”