Press Releases

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• 9/21/2023 Connecticut Equine Owners Urged to Vaccinate and Take Precautions to Protect Against Mosquito-Borne Diseases

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is reminding the state’s equine community to take appropriate measures to protect against eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV).

• 9/15/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Releases New Crop of Eight Farm Businesses at the Big E

  HARTFORD, Conn. – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Connecticut Office of Tourism, is excited to welcome visitors to this year’s Connecticut Building at The Big E beginning September 15 with new agricultural businesses featured along with returning favorites to showcase the diversity of the state’s agriculture sector.

• 9/8/2023 Discover Locally Sourced Menu Items During Connecticut Farm to Chef Week

  Connecticut Farm-to-Chef Week returns this month, encouraging residents and visitors to discover menu items with seasonal, locally sourced products at restaurants and eateries.

• 9/6/2023 GOVERNOR LAMONT ANNOUNCES CONNECTICUT RECEIVES FEDERAL AGRICULTURE DISASTER DECLARATION DUE TO RECENT HEAVY RAINS AND FLOODING

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has received notification from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack informing him that his request has been approved for Connecticut to receive a federal agriculture disaster declaration due to the heavy rainfall that occurred in early July and caused significant flood damage to farms and crops statewide.

• 9/1/2023 498-Acre Historic Voluntown Dairy Farm Protected

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg), in cooperation with Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT) and USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) is pleased to announce the fourth and final easement of 79 acres to complete the preservation of Gallup Farm, a 498-acre historic dairy farm in Voluntown.

• 8/23/2023 USDA Announces Specialty Crop Block Grant Program Funding Awarded to Connecticut

  WASHINGTON, August 23, 2023—The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) today awarded over $403,000 in Fiscal Year 2023 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding to Connecticut.

• 8/4/2023 Vibrio Statement 2023

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Aquaculture routinely monitors oyster harvest areas statewide for vibrio levels during the summer months. Samples are screened for levels of total vibrio bacteria and then vibrio vulnificus and pathogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus levels. The bureau’s laboratory will have updated results on Friday, August 4, of Vibrio, both vibrio parahaemolyticus and vibrio vulnificus, from harvest areas statewide.

• 7/24/2023 Governor Lamont Submits Request for Federal Agriculture Disaster Declaration Due to Severe Flooding

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has submitted a request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeking a federal agriculture disaster declaration for all eight counties in Connecticut due to the significant damage that occurred to farms and crops statewide from the recent heavy rainfall that caused significant flooding, particularly along the Connecticut River and other waterways.

• 7/21/2023 Resources available to Connecticut farmers affected by flooding

• 6/29/2023 Fire Up the Grill for the 4th of July

  (HARTFORD, CT) –​For those planning a barbecue, cookout, or other festivities to enjoy over the holiday celebrating our nation’s independence, choose CT Grown products to put on the grill.

• 6/23/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Announces Farm Viability Grant Recipients

  (STATEWIDE) Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt announces that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture has awarded grants to 25 entities through the Farm Viability Grant totaling more than $750,000.

• 6/12/2023 Governor Lamont Joins Connecticut Department of Agriculture and USDA Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt on Efforts to Support Connecticut Farmers and Increase Access to Healthy, Locally Grown Food

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz today joined Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffit at Keney Park Sustainability Project in Windsor to highlight efforts to support Connecticut farmers and increase access to healthy, locally grown food.

• 6/9/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Announces Launch of New Website Resource to Support Growing Farm Businesses

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) announces the launch of a new website resource to aid new and beginning farmers looking to grow their agricultural business. The list of tools and resources, an enhanced version of the New Farmer Bucket List, was compiled through collaboration of Connecticut Department of Agriculture, UConn, Connecticut Farm Bureau Association, New CT Farmer Alliance, CT Northeast Organic Farming Association, and the United States Department of Agriculture.

• 6/2/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian Issues 2023 Poultry Event Guidance

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) State Veterinarian does not recommend that organized poultry shows, sales, swaps, or events be held in 2023 due to the increased risk for introduction and transmission of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) through commingling events.

• 5/26/2023 Governor Lamont Requests Federal Agriculture Disaster Declaration Due to Crop Damage Caused by Recent Sub-Freezing Temperatures