Commissioner Hurlburt Among Attendees at NASDA Winter Policy Conference, “United We Thrive”
Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt was among the commissioners, secretaries, and directors of agriculture from around the nation who gathered with federal agencies, congressional leaders, and industry stakeholders to talk about pressing agricultural and food policy issues from February 24-26, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Hosted by the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), the 2025 Winter Policy Conference theme of “United We Thrive” was present throughout the full agenda.
As a member of NASDA’s board of directors, Commissioner Hurlburt participated in discussion of organization strategies and goals for the advancement of agriculture and in his role as President of the Northeast Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NEASDA) led a focused discussion on state and regional issues impacting the northeast.
NASDA members adopted 16 policy amendments and 10 action items during the Winter Policy Conference. You can learn about all of them here, but a few highlights include:
Through this action supporting the United Nations’ resolution declaring 2026 as the International Year of the Woman Farmer, NASDA acknowledges the vital contributions of women farmers and supports programs that enhance access to critical tools and opportunities. NASDA encourages domestic and international efforts to uplift and celebrate women in agriculture while advocating for policies that foster opportunity for the entire agricultural sector.
NASDA members amended the organization’s policy to support the implementation of a robust national action plan for the detection, surveillance, response and containment of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).
Throughout the course of the meeting, attendees had the opportunity to hear from and connect with industry leaders and stakeholders, including:
- USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins addressed attendees sharing her comprehensive agenda to elevate farming and announced USDA’s $1 billion investment to combat avian influenza and reduce egg prices.
- House Agriculture Committee Chairman GT Thompson, Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar, and House Agriculture Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig provided updates on Farm Bill emphasizing the need for bipartisan agreement.
- Heard from Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Lawrence MacAulay who spoke on the shared history and partnership between U.S. and Canada.
- USDA Animal Plant Health and Inspection Services Administrator Dr. Michael Watson and Deputy Administrator Dr. Rosemary Sifford shared their expertise on crossing policy with operations in the animal agriculture industry and provided insight into the current animal health challenges and opportunities.
- Met with members of NASDA’s NextGen cohort for productive and engaging conversations with these future leaders.
2025 NEASDA ANNUAL MEETING TO BE HELD IN CONNECTICUT
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is honored to host the 2025 annual meeting of the Northeast Association of the State Departments of Agriculture (NEASDA) on June 8-11, 2025, in Mystic, CT. Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt was elected as NEASDA President in 2024 and looks forward to welcoming his colleagues to our great state to spotlight Connecticut agriculture – from the ground to the Sound – with a central programming theme of “Resiliency through Diversity”.
This annual regional event gathers lead staff from the Northeast’s 10 state departments of agriculture from Delaware to Maine for educational discussions on relevant agricultural topics, share successes and challenges, and learn about agriculture in the host state.
