Press Releases

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• 6/23/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Announces Farm Viability Grant Recipients

  (STATEWIDE) Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt announces that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture has awarded grants to 25 entities through the Farm Viability Grant totaling more than $750,000.

• 6/12/2023 Governor Lamont Joins Connecticut Department of Agriculture and USDA Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt on Efforts to Support Connecticut Farmers and Increase Access to Healthy, Locally Grown Food

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz today joined Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffit at Keney Park Sustainability Project in Windsor to highlight efforts to support Connecticut farmers and increase access to healthy, locally grown food.

• 6/9/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Announces Launch of New Website Resource to Support Growing Farm Businesses

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) announces the launch of a new website resource to aid new and beginning farmers looking to grow their agricultural business. The list of tools and resources, an enhanced version of the New Farmer Bucket List, was compiled through collaboration of Connecticut Department of Agriculture, UConn, Connecticut Farm Bureau Association, New CT Farmer Alliance, CT Northeast Organic Farming Association, and the United States Department of Agriculture.

• 6/2/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture State Veterinarian Issues 2023 Poultry Event Guidance

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) State Veterinarian does not recommend that organized poultry shows, sales, swaps, or events be held in 2023 due to the increased risk for introduction and transmission of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) through commingling events.

• 5/26/2023 Governor Lamont Requests Federal Agriculture Disaster Declaration Due to Crop Damage Caused by Recent Sub-Freezing Temperatures

• 5/12/2023 Connecticut Farm Wineries Launches 2023 Passport Program

  (HARTFORD, CT) The Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council announces the start of the 2023 CT Farm Wineries passport program on Friday, May 12. The Passport to Connecticut Wine Country, which runs through December 31, 2023, encourages consumers to engage with the state’s more than 45 farm wineries — 38 of which participate in the passport program. Available as a user-friendly mobile app available on most devices, search CT Wine Passport to download from the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

• 4/28/2023 Lt. Governor, State Officials Highlight CTDCF and CTDOAG Partnership To Prevent Child Abuse and Animal Cruelty

  (Newington) - Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, state and federal officials and animal welfare advocates today discussed the connection between animal cruelty, child maltreatment and other forms of interpersonal violence.

• 4/21/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Announces Release of Fifth Annual Connecticut Grown Magazine

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) announces the release of the fifth annual edition of Connecticut Grown, a guide to the state’s farms, food, and markets. This edition reflects on where Connecticut agriculture has been while looking forward and setting intentions for the future.

• 4/20/2023 Motorists Reminded to Share the Road with Farm Equipment This Spring

  HARTFORD — Planting season is underway for many of Connecticut’s 5,500 farms. Motorists are likely to see more large, slow-moving farm equipment traveling Connecticut’s rural roads and highways. The Connecticut Department of Agriculture and Connecticut Department of Transportation encourage motorists to slow down, be aware, and be patient on roadways this spring.

• 4/11/2023 Connecticut Milk Promotion Board Awards $660,000 to Increase Consumption and Expand Access of Milk and Dairy Products

  The Connecticut Milk Promotion Board (CT MPB), administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg), has awarded three grants totaling $660,000 to projects that align with their strategic vision to increase purchases and expand the access of milk and dairy products to consumers, retailers, institutions, and other applicable outlets.

• 4/11/2023 Regulatory Update for Honey & Maple Syrup Producers

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture announces a regulatory update for honey and maple syrup producers in Connecticut. The new regulations, effective February 10, 2023, are a result of Public Act 19-18, which transferred the responsibility to regulate the production and sale of Honey and Maple Syrup from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture.

• 3/31/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Releases 2023 Farm Viability Grant Guidance with New Micro Grants Added

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the 2023 Farm Viability Grant (FVG) guidance is now available for eligible Connecticut municipalities, groups of municipalities, regional councils of governments, and/or agricultural non-profit organizations for projects that directly impact or foster agricultural viability. Applications are due May 12, 2023, at 4:00 p.m.

• 3/30/2023 Lt. Governor Bysiewicz and State Agencies Announce Nearly $7 Million Awarded in Climate Smart Agriculture & Forestry Grants During Climate Action Week

  (SOMERS, CT) – Yesterday, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt, and DEEP Deputy Commissioner Mason Trumble concluded Climate Action Week with the announcement of grant recipients receiving nearly $7 million in funding through the Climate Smart Agriculture and Forestry Grant program to implement climate smart practices. The announcement was made at Grower Direct Farms, Inc. in Somers, a subrecipient of the Connecticut Greenhouse Growers Association award totaling $1.75 million to reduce water consumption across six greenhouse operations in Connecticut.

• 3/28/2023 Shell Recycling Initiative Being Introduced in Connecticut

  Groton – Empty oyster and clam shells from Long Island Sound shouldn’t be treated like trash. They are vital components of healthy habitat for shellfish and other marine life, and need to be returned to their watery home instead of being hauled away with other garbage. That’s the message shell recycling advocates are advancing as part of a new statewide initiative.

• 3/23/2023 Governor Lamont Highlights Nearly $5 Million Investment in Statewide Feeding Program Partnerships Providing Connecticut Grown Food to Residents

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont and Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt today held a news conference during the annual Connecticut Ag Day event at the State Capitol in Hartford, where they announced that since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, nearly $5 million in funds has been distributed in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to support emergency feeding programs, address food insecurity through the procurement of Connecticut Grown foods, and support programming that enables residents of all ages to have equitable access to locally grown foods. They were joined by partner members, Connecticut farmers, and state legislators.