(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.
This declaration means that farmers in all eight of Connecticut’s counties can apply for federal disaster assistance from the Farm Service Agency, such as emergency loans, to cover production losses they experienced as a result of the severe weather event, provided that certain eligibility requirements are met.
“This has been a tough year for Connecticut’s farmers with severe weather events causing significant crop damage and resulting in production losses that are financially impacting these small, locally owned businesses,” Governor Lamont said. “The approval of this federal agriculture disaster declaration means that farmers will have access to support so they can continue their incredibly valuable operations. I am very appreciative to Secretary Vilsack and the Biden administration for listening to our concerns and approving our request. I urge any Connecticut farmer who has been impacted by this summer’s flooding to reach out to the Farm Service Agency as soon as possible.”
“This season has been one of the most challenging in recent memory and I appreciate the USDA for approving Governor Lamont’s request,” Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt said. “Farmers who have experienced losses may be eligible for additional USDA programs, with increased flexibilities, to help offset the losses. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture also offers any farmers the opportunity for one-on-one consultative services to help them find the right program for their farm. Interested farmers should contact the Connecticut Department of Agriculture at 860-713-2500 or agr.disaster@ct.gov. Additional resources are available online at portal.ct.gov/disaster to assist producers as they navigate the recovery process.”
Farmers will have eight months from the date of this disaster declaration to apply for emergency loans. The Farm Service Agency considers each emergency loan application on its own merits, taking into account the extent of production losses on the farm and the security and repayment ability of the operator. Farmers interested in applying for assistance must contact their local Farm Service Agency office.
This is the second agriculture disaster declaration that Secretary Vilsack has approved for Connecticut this year. In July, the secretary approved an agriculture disaster declaration for the state due to the impact of the abnormal, sub-freezing weather event that occurred in the early morning hours of May 18, 2023, which also caused significant crop losses.
###
For Immediate Release: September 6, 2023 Contact: David Bednarz
Office of Governor Lamont
860-770-9792 (cell)
Contact: Rebecca Eddy
Connecticut Department of Agriculture
860-573-0323 (cell)
