(NAFB.com) – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will be in Denver Thursday to give opening remarks at the 6th Annual CSU Spur Water in the West Symposium. The event, focused on “Next Gen Water,” includes keynotes and panel discussions on topics ranging from leadership and water system management to workforce and the future of Colorado’s outdoor industry. The symposium, the first to occur on the CSU Spur campus in north Denver, will take place in the Hydro building, which opened this past January. Vilsack will discuss the USDA’s work to build rural prosperity by supporting producer income, bolstering local and regional food supply chains, and creating jobs and economic opportunities in rural areas. In addition, he will talk about work to foster the next generation of leaders in food and agriculture, including through the USDA’s NextGen program, which includes geology and hydrology among more than 36 disciplines supported. Vilsack served as a strategic advisor for Colorado State University Spur and the Colorado State University System’s food and water initiatives from 2017-2021.