| A GIFT OF A FARM LEADS TO ITS PRESERVATION, FULFILLMENT OF A DREAM |
BETHLEHEM – Ever since he began showing cows as a boy, Jon O’Neill always dreamed of having his own farm. But what he never imagined was that he would finally get that farm as a gift from a retired dairyman he’d known since childhood, and who left the O’Neill family his 160-acre farm after passing away several years ago.
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| STATE’S GREENHOUSE INDUSTRY REVS UP FOR SPRING, WORKS TO KEEP CUSTOMERS LOCAL |
SOUTHINGTON – As the thermometer touched 70-degrees Monday afternoon, one sure sign of spring warmth finally arriving was the creaking, metallic sound of greenhouse windows at Karabin Farms automatically cranking open to allow cooler air inside.
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| WARM WINTERS PRODUCING HIGHER TICK ABUNDANCE AND INFECTION WITH LYME DISEASE STATEWIDE |
NEW HAVEN - The Tick Testing Program at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) is reporting higher tick abundance and infection with Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease and other tick-borne pathogens this spring throughout Connecticut.
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| WOODBURY FFA FLORICULTURE TEAM HEADING TO EUROPE, SEEKS DONATIONS TO FUND “ONCE IN A LIFETIME” TRIP |
One member of the award-winning team plans to be a clinical pharmacist with a specialty in herbal remedies, while another wants to research plant genetics and a third is pursuing a degree to teach high school Ag Science. And despite the wide variation in their interests, each member of the Woodbury FFA Floriculture Team is intent on fueling their intended career during a planned June tour of flower, vegetable and nursery businesses in Europe.
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| FARM WINERY PROMOTION KICKS OFF AS THREE NEW VENUES JOIN PROGRAM |
The annual opening of the state’s Passport to Connecticut Farm Wineries program was marked by a visit to a Shelton winery by Governor Dannel P. Malloy and Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky, who urged residents and visitors to experience the state’s 37 farm wineries and appreciate the skill it takes to grow grapes here.
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| ANIMAL EXHIBITORS AND VISITORS REMINDED TO FOLLOW GOOD HANDLING AND HYGIENE PRACTICES |
The onset of warmer weather signals more interaction between people and animals on farms, at agricultural fairs and other exhibitions – and also increases the potential spread of disease from animals to people.
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| BEEF CATTLE FARM FIRST TO BE PROTECTED IN COVENTRY UNDER STATE PRESERVATION PROGRAM |
COVENTRY – An 83-acre beef cattle farm established along the banks of the Willimantic River in the 1920s will forever remain available for agricultural production after being protected under the state’s Farmland Preservation Program.
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| CMSR. REVICZKY, COLLEAGUES SEEK COMMON GROUND WITH USDA SECRETARY PERDUE |
Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky and several of his colleagues from around the country recently met in Washington, D.C. with USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue and other officials to discuss the states’ agricultural priorities and urge federal cooperation in acting on them.
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| SENIOR FMNP 2 MILLION SERIES CHECKS NOT VALID |
Due to the lack of a state budget being enacted by the General Assembly by July 1, 2017, funding for SFMNP has been effectively eliminated.
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| PRESERVING A FARM AND A FAMILY’S HERITAGE AS NEIGHBORHOODS CLOSE IN |
SUFFIELD - As well-manicured housing subdivisions continue to sprout up at the very edges of their crop fields, the Bieolonko family has ensured that nearly 125 acres of their home farm will forever remain in agriculture after conveying its development rights to the state under its Farmland Preservation Program.
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| COMPLIANCE WITH CONNECTICUT GROWN LAW INCREASING AT FARMERS’ MARKETS, IMPROVEMENT STILL NEEDED |
More than 70 Dept. of Agriculture inspections at farmers’ markets this season showed that while the bulk of growers and vendors were following state laws regarding use of the Connecticut Grown label to advertise their products, more compliance is needed.
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| STOP-SALES ORDER ISSUED TO RAW MILK SUPPLIER |
The Connecticut Dept. of Agriculture has issued a stop-sales order to a raw milk supplier whose products made a New Jersey woman ill, prompting a health warning from the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
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| HISTORIC PORTER FARM PROTECTED FOREVER UNDER STATE’S FARMLAND PRESERVATION PROGRAM |
HEBRON - Mike Porter was a teenager when he began milking cows and harvesting crops on his family’s farm more than four decades ago.
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| CONNECTICUT’S LARGEST DAIRY FARM EXPANDS WITH EYE TOWARD COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, EDUCATION |
ELLINGTON – Building a 350,000 square-foot dairy barn and milking parlor that houses thousands of cows in a relatively visible part of town is naturally going to focus a lot of public attention on the operation.
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| “WE HAD A CHOICE OF EITHER GETTING OUT OF FARMING OR MAKING SOME HARD DECISIONS ON WHERE WE WERE HEADED” |
After years of work and growth that made them the largest producer of snap beans in New England, Michele and Billy Collins were ready for their best season ever in 2011 at their Fair Weather Acres farm in Rocky Hill.
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| EVOLUTION OF CT HOPS INDUSTRY ON DISPLAY AT ANNUAL GROWERS' MEETING |
Just a few years ago, producing hops commercially in Connecticut was nothing more than a topic of conversation among a handful of potential growers contemplating putting in a crop to capitalize on their passion and the state’s booming craft-beer industry.
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| DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SEEKING SPECIALTY CROP BLOCK GRANT PROPOSALS |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) is seeking concept proposals for 2018 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP).
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| FARM TRANSITION GRANT APPLICATIONS DUE FEBRUARY 14, 2018 |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) is seeking applications for its 2018 Farm Transition Grant program. Applications are due Wednesday, February 14, 2018.
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| MEET CONNECTICUT’S DAIRY FARM FAMILIES |
Can you name the agricultural product that provides nine essential nutrients in just one glass, takes only two days to get from the farm to your fridge, and is always in season?
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| GROWING INTO THE FOOD SAFETY MODERNIZATION ACT |
A lot of attention has been given to the federal Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) passed by the United States Congress in 2011—for good reason.
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| THE STATE OF KELP - A New Sea Vegetable Industry Is Poised for Growth, if These New Farmers Can Develop a Market |
From Norwalk to Branford to Stonington, it’s been a waiting game for a new class of Connecticut farmers. Now that an unseasonably cold winter looks to have passed and water temperatures in Long Island Sound have rebounded to nearly the seasonal average, that wait is just about over.
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| AGRICULTURAL STAKEHOLDERS LAUD THE PRESERVATION OF STEARNS FARM IN MANSFIELD |
Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky today announced that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, in partnership with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Town of Mansfield, has permanently protected another 740 acres of Stearns Farm in Mansfield, assuring that it will forever remain in agriculture.
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| AG DAY AT THE CAPITOL - Showcases Diversity and Economic Impact of Connecticut Agriculture |
The third Wednesday in March is said to be “the best day of the year” at the Connecticut State Capitol in Hartford.
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| GREAT AMERICAN AQUACULTURE NEARS FIRST HARVEST |
Great American Aquaculture LLC (dba Ideal Fish) has launched an aquaculture business in Connecticut that will produce fresh, sustainable, and safe seafood in land-based, recirculating aquaculture systems.
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| LEGISLATIVE UPDATE |
The Connecticut General Assembly meets each winter and spring. In odd-numbered years, the legislature is in session from January to June. During these longer sessions, members formulate a budget for the state and propose legislation on any and every topic that may be of import to the people in their districts or to the State of Connecticut.
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| SAFELY ENJOY YOUR BACKYARD FLOCK |
The first day of spring is upon us along with the holiday celebration of new life and high expectations of a new growing season.
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| Farmland Restoration Program Brings Land Back Into Agricultural Production |
The Farmland Restoration Program (FLRP) has provided approximately $3.6 million of funding to farm projects that increase Connecticut’s agricultural land resource base since its creation by Governor Dannel P. Malloy in 2011, and has leveraged approximately $5.6 million in matching funds.
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| FOOD SAFETY -Violative Antibiotic Tissue Residues at Slaughter: Sorting Out Who, What and Why |
Most livestock producers are well aware of the importance of having a comprehensive herd health plan developed with their veterinarian that includes the responsible use of antibiotics, now often termed “antibiotic or antimicrobial stewardship,” primarily as a means of preventing residues from such drugs contaminating or adulterating animal-derived food products.
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| SIGNIFICANT PARCEL OF FARMLAND PRESERVED IN ROCKY HILL |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) has preserved a significant parcel of farmland in Rocky Hill. Approximately 70 acres of farmland at the Hintz Farm was preserved through the placement of a permanent conservation easement recorded on land records at Rocky Hill town hall on January 26, 2018.
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| ANIMAL POPULATION CONTROL PROGRAM REDUCES OVERPOPULATION AND INFECTIOUS ANIMAL DISEASES |
Since 1996, the Department of Agriculture (DoAg)’s Animal Population Control Program (APCP) has provided benefits to more than 200,000 companion pets here in Connecticut.
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| SATELLITE VESSEL MONITORING SYSTEM ENSURES OYSTER SAFETY |
On October 20, 2017, the Department of Agriculture (DoAg)’s, Bureau of Aquaculture implemented a voluntary vessel monitoring system (VMS) project in conjunction with the dredging of the federal channel in the Housatonic River in Stratford. This area is the largest and most productive designated public natural seed oyster bed in Connecticut.
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| 2018 PASSPORT TO CONNECTICUT FARM WINERIES BEGINS |
The 2018 Passport to Connecticut Farm Wineries (Passport) program began May 4, 2018 and runs through November 4, 2018.
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| CRUELTY TO CARING |
For the past 15 years, the Department of Agriculture (DoAg), with cooperation from the Department of Correction, has provided a sanctuary for the worst cases of abused, starved, and neglected horses and livestock in Connecticut.
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| 2018 ISSUE OF CONNECTICUT GROWN MAGAZINE NOW AVAILABLE |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) has released the second annual issue of Connecticut Grown Magazine.
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| SAFETY AND SURVIVAL ON THE WATER |
Environmental Analysts from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg)’s Bureau of Aquaculture are on the water year round in a variety of temperatures and conditions. Having survival knowledge should anything happen is essential to keeping staff safe while on the water.
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| IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRODUCE SAFETY RULE – FIRST STEPS |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) and the University of Connecticut (UConn) Extension will be working together to conduct On Farm Readiness Review (OFRR)s for Connecticut farms.
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| LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP |
At midnight on May 9, 2018, the short session of the Connecticut General Assembly came to a close. In even-numbered years, the regular legislative sessions begin in February and end in May—but the shorter term does not mean that there is less work to be done, only that there is less time to do it.
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| FARMERS’ MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAMS |
There are 114 farmers’ markets in Connecticut and in 2018 more than 90% are participating in the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)s administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg).
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| DYE STUDIES PROTECT CONNECTICUT SHELLFISH GROWING AREAS |
In order to best classify shellfish growing areas and determine closure areas, the Department of Agriculture (DoAg)’s, Bureau of Aquaculture collaborates with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to conduct waste-water treatment plant hydrographic dye studies in Connecticut waters.
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| ANIMAL FEED AND PET FOOD INDUSTRIES IN CONNECTICUT |
Approximately 40 manufacturers of animal feed and pet food (which includes pet treats and specialty pet food products) are located in Connecticut.
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| PHYTOPLANKTON MONITORING IN CONNECTICUT |
The Department of Agriculture (DoAg)’s Bureau of Aquaculture is responsible for monitoring the levels of phytoplankton in coastal waters. The phytoplankton DoAg is looking for consists of algae and dinoflagellates, both of which have the potential to produce toxins that can affect shellfish consumption.
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| CONNECTICUT SENIOR AND WIC FARMERS’ MARKET NUTRITION PROGRAMS ARE THRIVING |
The Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP)s administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) are in full swing at more than 100 farmers’ markets in Connecticut.
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| FARM-TO-WHOLESALE PROGRAMS |
The Department of Agriculture (DoAg) works with Connecticut farmers and wholesale distributors of produce, meat, milk, eggs, and other agricultural products to encourage the sale and distribution of Connecticut Grown products.
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| AGRICULTURAL LICENSES PROTECT HUMANS, ANIMALS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT |
No one has ever been excited about having to get a license, but understanding the reasons behind the licenses and their associated fees can make the process a little more bearable.
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| DAIRY INSPECTIONS: THE IMPORTANCE OF TRAINING |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg)’s dairy unit inspects and regulates dairy products from “the cow to the consumer” to ensure compliance with both state and federal laws and regulations. Included in this broad regulatory oversight are dairy farms, milk processing plants, yogurt manufacturers, cheese manufacturers, and bulk milk tankers
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| NOAA SCIENTISTS MONITORING CONNECTICUT AQUACULTURE |
Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Northeast Fisheries Science Center laboratory in Milford have been working for the last two summers in Long Island Sound to document environmental benefits provided by Connecticut’s oyster aquaculture industry.
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| BIG E PREVIEW |
Fried dough, Ferris wheels, and family fun are on the horizon as the Big E returns to the Eastern States Exhibition September 14-30, 2018 in West Springfield, MA. In 2017, the annual event attracted 1,525,553 visitors, setting an attendance record.
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| SHEPARD FARM IN SOUTH WINDSOR PERMANENTLY PROTECTED FOR AGRICULTURAL USE |
Mayor Saud Anwar and Connecticut Commissioner of Agriculture Steven K. Reviczky today announced the permanent protection of approximately 50 acres of farmland owned by the Shepard family, situated on the easterly side of Main St. and the southerly side of Pleasant Valley Rd.
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| NATIONAL AGRICULTURE LEADERS TO GATHER IN CONNECTICUT |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) is excited to be hosting this year’s annual meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) in Hartford during the second week of September.
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| “ONE HEALTH” – A GLOBAL, NATIONAL, AND STATE INITIATIVE |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) supports the goals and initiatives of One Health.
One Health is a global, national, state, and local initiative to unite professionals who work in human, animal, and environmental health fields.
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| DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PRESERVES FIVE CONNECTICUT FARMS |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) recently helped ensure that five Connecticut farms will remain in agricultural use in perpetuity.
Recent closings on the Butler Farm in New Hartford, the Polek Family Farm in Enfield, the Shepard Farm in South Windsor, Cheetham White Oak Farm in Stonington, and the Spalding Farm in Woodstock...
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| CONNECTICUT FARMER GROWS TO FEED HER COMMUNITY |
USDA celebrates farmers, like Baylee Drown, who supply fresh fruits and vegetables to their communities through farmers markets. Farmers markets give consumers access to locally-grown and farm-fresh products, while giving farmers the platform to grow and connect with their customer base.
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| CONSIDERATIONS FOR LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY DURING COLDER WEATHER |
Autumn is a season that brings many changes to Connecticut. The shorter days bring us our beautiful foliage, fresh cider, and all of the wonderful winter-keeping vegetables.
It is also a time however, for making the necessary plans and preparations to ensure that livestock and poultry have access to adequate water, feed, and protection from the cold temperatures to not just survive but actually thrive during the winter months.
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| DOAG AND UNH COLLABORATING TO INTRODUCE STUDENTS TO ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE |
On the last two Fridays in October, staff from the Department of Agriculture (DoAg)’s Bureau of Aquaculture took a University of New Haven (UNH) class out on trips on the John H. Volk, DoAg’s shellfish research vessel.
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| LOOKING BACK AND AHEAD |
Over the last eight years, the Department of Agriculture (DoAg) has made tremendous progress in its mission to Grow Connecticut Farms. These successes were made possible by the unyielding support of our governor and state legislators, the hard work of DoAg staff, and the effective advocacy of key stakeholders. As a stand-alone, cabinet-level agency, DoAg is positioned to advance Connecticut farming and agriculture.
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| STAYING AHEAD OF ANIMAL DISEASE: LOOK, REPORT & PROTECT |
If you own animals or birds of any kind, you are an essential partner in early animal disease discovery, reporting, and disease control.
Your daily observations during feeding and caring of your animals provide you with a baseline of information about what is “normal” for your farm or operation.
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| CT DEPT OF AGRICULTURE TO HOST CT FARM-TO-SCHOOL CONFERENCE JANUARY 22, 2019 |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) will be hosting the Connecticut Farm-to-School Conference, “Wholesale Readiness and Culinary Trainings: Making Connections Across the Sectors”. Producers, food service professionals, and others interested in Farm-to-School are invited to join us on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, at the Hartford Sheraton South in Rocky Hill, Connecticut, for a full day of trainings, panel discussion, educational sessions and networking.
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| CONNECTICUT’S SHELLFISH INDUSTRY |
The shellfish aquaculture industry in Connecticut creates jobs, provides a source of locally grown food, and is a sustainable fishery that provides critical environmental services to the Long Island Sound.
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| HOLIDAY/WINTER FARMERS’ MARKETS |
Winter farmers’ markets are a fun and festive way to shop during the cold season.
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| 2018 FARM BILL |
Congress recently passed the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, also known as the 2018 Farm Bill. This legislation is the basis for allowing the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to deliver funding and services that agriculture producers around the country—and right here in Connecticut—depend on. The bill now waits for the president’s signature.
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| CONNECTICUT FARMLINK MATCHES FARMERS WITH FARMLAND |
When Vermont farmer Katie Taibi’s partner, Matt Burrell, took a job as a paramedic in Connecticut, they found themselves looking for a place to live and land to farm. Through the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s FarmLink Program they found an opportunity to rent a historic home, cultivate a market garden, and learn about raising sheep on the Raymond Family Farm in South Windsor.
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| DAIRY REGULATION IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT |
For a small state, Connecticut’s dairy industry contributes substantially to the state’s economy. According to the most recent Economic Impacts of Connecticut’s Agricultural Industry, Update 2015, released by UConn’s Zwick Center for Food and Resource Policy, Connecticut’s dairy manufacturing industry including fluid milk, butter, cheese, and ice cream contributes more than $1 billion annually to the state’s economy.
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| AQUACULTURE LICENSING AND PERMITTING IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT |
Aquaculture by definition is the farming of fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatic plants, algae, and other organisms. The Department of Agriculture (DoAg)’s Bureau of Aquaculture is the licensing/permitting agency for shellfish (hard clams, oysters, mussels) and algae seaweed (kelp) in Connecticut.
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| FARM TRANSITION GRANT APPLICATIONS DUE FEBRUARY 14, 2019 |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is seeking applications for its 2019 Farm Transition Grant program. Applications are due Thursday, February 14, 2019.
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| COLD WEATHER ADVISORY |
During the expected severe cold weather the department is reminding animal owners, animals suffer from frostbite and hypothermia just like humans.
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| LEGISLATIVE PREVIEW |
Each year, the Connecticut General Assembly meets to discuss the state budget, and to propose other changes to state statutes that may be necessary. This year also brings new leadership in the executive branch under Governor Ned Lamont, and soon will include a new commissioner at the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.
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| DOMESTIC ANIMAL CONTROL WORKING GROUP |
The Department of Agriculture’s Domestic Animal Control Working Group has prepared legislation that has been submitted to the Connecticut General Assembly for the 2019 legislative session.
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| REGULATORY OVERSIGHT OF AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture has regulatory oversight over a wide range of agricultural commodities sold and/or produced in the state.
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| CULTIVATION OF KELP IN THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT |
Kelp is an exciting new farming venture in the Long Island Sound. There are kelp farms in, or proposed in, Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Fairfield, Milford, Branford, Groton, and Stonington.
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| FARM TAXES |
The due date for filing 2018 federal and state income tax returns is April 15, 2019. For many Connecticut farm businesses, filing taxes is an opportunity to perform an annual financial analysis that can be a helpful decision-making tool for the following year.
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| FUTURE OF POMFRET FARM SECURE THANKS IN PART TO STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP |
Back in 1924, when Russian immigrants Alexander and Stephanida Wolchesky purchased their 120-acre farm in Pomfret, Connecticut, it probably never occurred to them there would be a reason to protect it from development.
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| AGRICULTURE DAY AT THE CAPITOL |
Apples, chowder, eggs, ice cream, maple syrup, and potted plants are just a few of the items expected to be on display during Agriculture Day at the Capitol (“Ag Day”) scheduled for Wednesday, March 20, 2019, from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
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| CONNECTICUT SHELLFISH COMMISSIONS |
Connecticut’s shellfish industry and recreational shellfishing programs benefit greatly from the dedication of municipal shellfish commissions throughout the state of Connecticut.
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| SPECIALTY CROP BLOCK GRANT APPLICATIONS DUE APRIL 4, 2019 |
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is seeking applications for projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in domestic and foreign markets. Projects must impact and produce measurable outcomes for the specialty crop industry and/or the public.
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| WELCOME FROM COMMISSIONER BRYAN P. HURLBURT |
It is an honor to have been nominated by Governor Lamont to serve as the next Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture, and to serve you, the state’s farming families, in this role.
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