Bent County will consider Arkansas River Farms’ request for a 1041 permit
~Anne Boswell, & CNYW Staff
There will be another 1041 permit hearing October 27th in Bent County.
You might remember, there's been a long history with Arkansas River Farms, LLC. Some might even call the relationship with Bent County contentious. In 2018 Arkansas River Farms, LLC received a conditional 1041 permit for a project involving farmland dry-up and revegetation tied to water-related transactions. Arkansas River Farms, LLC is a Colorado-based limited liability company formed in March 2015 as a joint affiliate of C&A Companies, Inc. and Resource Land Holdings, L.L.C. (source: https://lei.bloomberg.com/leis/view/549300GRTQ22M6QYBS16)
In 2019, the county issued a show-cause order citing alleged permit violations, including reporting and payment issues and concerns about reclamation of land taken out of irrigation.
In July 2025, commissioners rejected ARF’s request to transfer permit responsibilities for two farms to AV Farms, LP, citing outstanding requirements and concerns about the proposed permit holder’s ability to comply. ARF subsequently filed case 2025CV030016 against the Bent County Board of County Commissioners in December 2025.
We've reached out and requested documents in order to fully explain the history and possibly what is expected to be the ask of Arkansas River Farms, LLC in the October 27th hearing.
You are invited to attend the public hearing. It will be October 27th, at 10am at the Bent County Community Center.
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(some explanations: In an agricultural context,
Colorado's 1041 regulations are a legal tool used by rural counties to protect farmland from being permanently "dried up" when water rights are sold to growing cities.
While the state law originally targeted massive construction projects like reservoirs, rural agricultural communities have adapted these powers to police the "buy-and-dry" practices that threaten the agricultural economy.
When a municipality or developer buys agricultural land purely to strip away its water and pipeline it elsewhere, it triggers a 1041 review.
(past stories with Arkanas River Farms, LLC https://www.coloradonewsyourway.com/post/denied-bent-county-commissioners-reject-a-request-by-av-farms)
(a short video version of this story is available here on social media)
The application filed by ARF/AV Farms can be viewed here:
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