(HARTFORD, CT) – Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) today announced a milestone for the Farm Transition Grant program awarding 43 farms across the state a total of $510,557. This marks the highest number of awards in a single fiscal year in the program’s history, following a record 123 applications from farm operations seeking to grow and adapt their operations.
“Connecticut farms are innovative and entrepreneurial – the growing interest in the Farm Transition Grant demonstrates that and I’m particularly thrilled to see new and beginning farmer applicant numbers expand,” said Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt “The awarded projects highlight the diversity of Connecticut’s farms – from mushrooms and maple to cut flowers and dairy, along with poultry, livestock, fruits, vegetables, and aquaculture. These investments provide newer farm operations the means to jump to the next level and support existing businesses as they seek to improve efficiencies or venture into new areas.”
The Farm Transition Grant program is highly competitive with applications scored by a review panel seeking projects that diversify farm businesses, expand value-added production, and improve efficiency. The funded projects represent a combined investment of $1.29 million, injecting innovation and resilience into Connecticut’s farms and fueling the state’s economy.
Of the awarded funds, $259,038 will support 13 farms with infrastructure investment, $111,669 to three farms for innovation and diversification, $106,345 to uplift 25 new and beginning farms, and $33,505 to two farms for research and development of new products. Nearly 80% of awards went to beginning farmers, with additional support for veterans, socially disadvantaged, and BIPOC farmers.
Since 2019, the Lamont administration has awarded more than $3.87 million through the Farm Transition Grant program, underscoring its commitment to sustainable, climate-smart agriculture, and local food systems.
The fiscal year 2026 Farm Transition Grant awardees are:
|
Awardee |
Project Location |
Funding Category |
Project Description |
Funding Awarded |
|
Ahlberg Grassroots Farm LLC |
South Glastonbury (Glastonbury) |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Installing a perimeter fence to increase crop yield. |
$4,950.00 |
|
Assawaga Farm LLC |
Putnam |
Innovation & Diversification Grant |
Establish an organic orchard with 80 fruit trees under two tunnels; purchasing orchard stakes, trellising, roof trusses, and bracing. |
$14,760.00 |
|
Bear Island Clam Company LLC |
Madison |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Install power poles on work boat to allow for non-invasive anchoring next to clam beds, increasing the number of harvest days. |
$4,270.00 |
|
Bodhi Tree Gardens |
Ansonia |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Installing a greenhouse and improving an existing farmstand for increased production while also updating the farm website to enhance marketing. |
$5,000.00 |
|
Bruce P. Wheeler (Wheeler Brook Farm) |
Pawcatuck (Stonington) |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Installing a wash/rinse produce table with basins and overhead covering, install a drip irrigation system, and purchase a precision vacuum planter to assist with vegetable planting to expand our farm to cafeteria initiative. |
$7,250.00 |
|
Clover Nook Farm LLC |
Bethany |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Purchase a no-till grain drill to increase forage quality, capacity, and increase beef production. |
$12,250.00 |
|
Coltsfoot Valley Farm LLC |
Cornwall |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Purchase a Replacement Heifer Shelter to increase capacity for raising replacement heifers. |
$5,000.00 |
|
CowPots, LLC |
East Canaan (Canaan) |
Research & Development Grant |
Investigate how commercial papermaking techniques and technology could be used to create commercial-grade paper from manure. Investigate organic-compliant additives for CowPots product line. |
$23,255.00 |
|
CT Garlic Company |
Hartford |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Tractor attachment to mechanize garlic planting to increase production and efficiency. |
$5,000.00 |
|
Danbury Hydroponics LLCS DBA Joon Gardens |
Newtown |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Commercial kitchen space rental and processing equipment to produce four new value-added goods. |
$5,000.00 |
|
Enegren Farm |
East Hampton |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Expand its orchard by planting 450 high-density apple trees on a fruit-wall system to increase production, diversify revenue, and build future pick-your-own and community engagement opportunities. |
$2,700.00 |
|
Fairholm Farm, Inc. |
Woodstock |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Purchase equipment and install electric for poultry processing room to increase efficiency of our broiler chicken and turkey processing. |
$24,999.00 |
|
Gadomski Farm & Apiary |
Coventry |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Farmstand Construction |
$5,000.00 |
|
Gilbertie's Herb Gardens, Inc. |
Easton |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Purchase and Install a Computer System to Manage Flood Bench and Irrigation System Controls and other greenhouse devices, to improve agricultural practices and greenhouse operations. |
$24,999.00 |
|
Graces Farm LLC |
New Hartford |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Livestock shelter to increase capacity of raising grass fed beef. |
$3,700.00 |
|
Guardians Farm |
Southbury |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Purchase a livestock trailer to support rotational grazing of dairy cattle. |
$18,995.00 |
|
Harmony Sea Farm LLC |
North Stonington |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Using FlipFarm equipment/methods to grow a unique oyster and reduce risk of predation. |
$22,770.00 |
|
Horticulture Therapy Farm, LLC |
Litchfield |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Creating a drying system/storage racks, huller machine, and nut cracker for increased walnut production; packaging supplies and maple equipment for increased maple syrup production. |
$1,720.00 |
|
Jonathan Brewer (Grover Brook Farm) |
Tolland |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Installation and buildout of a 20'x8' shipping container for cold storage to preserve, harvest, and bring additional quality product to market. |
$5,000.00 |
|
Kalenauskas Farm LLC |
Watertown |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Construct a walk-in freezer to increase on-hand product storage and match the projected growth of markets. |
$24,999.00 |
|
Lathrop Farm LLC |
Lebanon |
Innovation & Diversification Grant |
Construct a barn to provide space for onsite retail sales, CSA distribution, and value-added product development, allowing us to move beyond agricultural production and respond to growing market demand. |
$49,999.00 |
|
Mailman's Meadows LLC |
Granby |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Installing solar-powered electric fencing, gates, and pass-throughs to implement rotational grazing across multiple paddocks for sheep. |
$4,660.00 |
|
Mena's Garden LLC |
Guilford |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Installing a high tunnel for season extension of cut flowers. |
$5,000.00 |
|
Michaud Family Farm LLC |
West Suffield (Suffield) |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Farm Stand/Event Space Upgrade. Retrofitting barn to create a secure, weather-protected farm stand with refrigeration, clear displays, and a designated pickup/payment area and hold classes/events. |
$5,000.00 |
|
Mistywood Acres LLC |
North Stonington |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Purchasing adaptor plate/round bale hugger and hay elevator to streamline hay production and produce round bales in addition to square. |
$5,000.00 |
|
Muddy Roots Farm, LLC |
Meriden |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Construct a farm store to offer produce, poultry, and pork products from the farm to community. |
$24,999.00 |
|
New England Oyster Farm |
Madison |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Installing a solar panel system on a work boat to power tumbler and sorter to reduce carbon footprint and increase harvesting efficiency on the water. |
$3,505.00 |
|
Oracle Mushroom Co. LLC |
South Kent (Kent) |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Purchase large autoclave to increase mushroom production viability, variety, and yields. Purchase of poultry processing equipment, solar-powered electric poultry fencing kit, and chest freezer to increase pasture-raised meat poultry capacity. |
$5,000.00 |
|
Patriot Garden Flower & Herb Farm |
Prospect |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Installing a small greenhouse to expand seedling and seed starting capabilities and extend the growing season. |
$2,445.00 |
|
Pond View Farms LLC |
Baltic (Sprague) |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Purchase glass door freezers to showcase farm products in farmstand. |
$4,200.00 |
|
Richard Molleur (Molleur's Maple Sugarhouse) |
Beacon Falls |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Purchasing maple equipment to increase production, efficiency, and produce additional maple products. |
$4,975.00 |
|
Rogers Orchards, Inc |
Southington |
Research & Development Grant |
Research and implement vacuum distillation techniques that preserve fresh fruit aromatics, reduce seasonal fruit waste, and enable development of new alcoholic and non-alcoholic value-added products using Connecticut-grown fruit. |
$10,250.00 |
|
Salinas Farm LLC |
Harwinton |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Wether shelter to increase capacity for meat goat production. |
$3,265.00 |
|
Sarah Layton (Wild Hill Farm) |
Deep River |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Infrastructure for No-Till Tools and Value-Added Dried Floral Production |
$4,915.00 |
|
Sepe Farm LLC |
Sandy Hook (Newtown) |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Building a barn to increase lamb and fiber production |
$24,999.00 |
|
Shaggy Coos Farm & Creamery LLC |
Easton |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Upgrade of the electrical service to our production area to increase capacity for operating processing equipment for value-added dairy products. |
$16,610.00 |
|
Slowpoke Farm |
Bloomfield |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Installation of a high tunnel to extend vegetable production season |
$5,000.00 |
|
Sperry Falls Farm |
Woodbridge |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Install of deer fencing to protect Christmas tree, apple, and blueberry crops, while also increasing total land in production. |
$6,170.00 |
|
Still Life Flower Farm LLC |
Canterbury |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Purchase irrigation timers, rotary plow, shade cloth, row cover and tarps to increase yield and extend season. |
$3,690.00 |
|
Stone Agriculture INC (Cold Spring Farm) |
East Haddam |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Wash & Pack Station construction; Cold-Storage Installation and Production Kitchen expansion to increase postharvest efficiency, reduce product loss, and allow the farm to handle larger and more consistent order volumes. |
$24,999.00 |
|
The Gardens of Our Descent Farm LLC |
Columbia |
Innovation & Diversification Grant |
Purchase equipment to outfit an on-farm poultry processing facility. |
$46,910.00 |
|
Wayne Young (High Hill Orchard) |
Meriden |
Infrastructure Investment Grant |
Purchase and install a 25'x48'x13.25' walk-in cooler to increase storage capacity, reduce energy costs, and supply two additional school districts with apples; |
$24,999.00 |
|
Wineberry Farm, LLC |
East Haddam |
New Farmer Micro Grant |
Installing fencing to increase total pasture to increase sheep flock. |
$2,350.00 |
Farm Transition Grant is authorized by and funded through C.G.S. Section 22-26k to strengthen the economic viability of Connecticut’s agricultural businesses in times of growth and change. Additional information about the program, including success stories, can be found on the Farm Transition Grant webpage.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) mission is to foster a healthy economic, environmental, and social climate for agriculture by developing, promoting, and regulating agricultural businesses; protecting agricultural and aquacultural resources; enforcing laws pertaining to domestic animals; and promoting an understanding among the state's citizens of the diversity of Connecticut agriculture, its cultural heritage, and its contribution to the state's economy. For more information, visit www.CTGrown.gov.
