Press Releases

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• 9/10/2024 Connecticut Local Food Spending Insights Revealed: Room for Growth Needed in Regional Food Consumption

  HARTFORD, CT – The New England Food System Planners Partnership just released a new detailed analysis of local food spending in Connecticut – Local Food Count 2022. The report reveals that $709 million of the state's total $26.3 billion in food, beverage and alcohol expenditures were directed towards local and regional products

• 9/10/2024 Connecticut Confirms First Case of Eastern Equine Encephalitis for 2024 in Horse

  HARTFORD, Conn. — The Connecticut Department of Agriculture reports the state’s first case this year of Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) in a domestic animal. EEE was detected in a 23-year-old unvaccinated gelded horse from Fairfield County. Upon examination the horse was exhibiting neurological signs. Diagnostic samples were collected and tested positive for EEE virus. 

• 9/6/2024 Connecticut Farm Businesses Highlighted in CT Building at The Big E

  HARTFORD, Conn. – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture, in coordination with the Connecticut Office of Tourism, is gearing up for 17 days of showcasing what makes Connecticut a place to live, work, and play – including the state’s vibrant agriculture sector. This year 30 businesses highlighting the diversity of CT Grown farm products will be featured from Friday, September 13 through Sunday, September 29, 2024.

• 8/23/2024 USDA Announces Funding Awarded to Connecticut to Support Specialty Crops

  The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced over $405,000 in funding awarded to Connecticut through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP). Through this program, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) will fund projects that strengthen Connecticut’s specialty crop industry through marketing, education, and research.

• 8/21/2024 CT DoAg Releases Guidance for CT Grown for CT Kids Grant Program

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is pleased to release Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids (CTG4CTK) Grant program guidance for fiscal year 2025. New this year are unique application opening dates and deadlines divided into microgrants and full grants. Microgrant applications for projects requesting up to $5,000 over a 12-month duration are now open for Tracks 1 through 4 and are due by 12:00 p.m. on September 18, 2024.

• 8/16/2024 Sixth Annual Edition of Connecticut Grown Magazine Now Available

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Connecticut Grown magazine, the sixth annual guide to the state’s farms, food, and markets produced in collaboration between Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) and Farm Flavor Media, is now available in print and digital versions. This edition focuses on diversifying the food system – how food is grown, where it is grown, who is growing it, and ways it is being made more accessible to consumers.

• 8/2/2024 Connecticut Grown Celebrates National Farmers Market Week 2024

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Connecticut Grown, a program of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is celebrating National Farmers Market Week (NFMW) from August 4-10, 2024, to highlight the important role of farmers markets in our food system.

• 7/19/2024 New One-on-One Support Available to Connecticut’s Agriculture Industry

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Connecticut’s agriculture industry, including producers, food businesses, and non-profits sourcing CT Grown farm products, now have access to new one-on-one business technical assistance and grant coaching. Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is utilizing funds available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Resilient Food System Infrastructure Grant Program (RFSI) to contract with three separate entities to provide an array of services, including but not limited to, market diversification and development, supply chain coordination, and business and financial planning. 

• 7/19/2024 Equine Owners Reminded to Protect Against Mosquito Diseases

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) reminds the state’s equine community to take appropriate measures to protect against mosquito-borne diseases this season, including eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV).

• 7/3/2024 Request for Proposals Released for CT FarmLink Program Technical Assistance

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is in search of qualified entities to support the agency with administering the Connecticut FarmLink program (FarmLink).

• 7/3/2024 CT DoAg Issues Milk Handling Recommendations for Exhibitors and Event Organizers

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) has issued milk handling recommendations for exhibitors and event organizers to minimize the transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI H5N1).

• 6/27/2024 CT DoAg Announces Opening of Feral Cat Program

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg)’s Animal Population Control Program (APCP) will begin accepting applications for the Feral Cat Program on July 1, 2024. The Feral Cat Program assists Connecticut non-profit rescue groups with grants to spay and neuter feral cats at participating veterinarian providers.

• 6/24/2024 Reminder: Agriculture Licenses Expire June 30

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture's Licensing Unit reminds holders of the following licenses that they are up for renewal and expire on June 30, 2024.

• 6/21/2024 New Report Released on Farmland Access and Ownership in Connecticut

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg), in partnership with Connecticut Land Conservation Council (CLCC), announces the release of “Farmland Access & Ownership: An Overview of Barriers, Models, and Actions to Increase Land Access for Connecticut’s BIPOC Farmers”. CT DoAg engaged with CLCC to conduct the study and publish the report which looks at challenges and barriers to farmland access and ownership, as well as examining different cooperative models, focused on land trusts and publicly owned lands in urban and suburban areas.

• 6/14/2024 Tips to Keep Animals Safe this Summer

  (HARTFORD, CT) – As temperatures rise and hot, humid days are upon us, Connecticut Department of Agriculture is reminding pet and livestock owners to take action to keep their animals safe this summer. This is also the time of year for extreme weather such as thunderstorms and hurricanes, and celebrations which may include fireworks. These types of events may frighten some animals. Owners should prepare now by updating identification tags and microchip information, checking the safety and security of enclosures, and contacting veterinarians if medication is needed to ease anxiety.