Press Releases

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• 3/15/2023 Attorney General Tong Moves For State Custody of 99 Neglected Sheep and One Goose Seized from Beacon Falls Home

  (Hartford, CT) – Attorney General William Tong today moved for state custody of 99 neglected sheep and one goose seized from a Beacon Falls farm in February.

• 3/3/2023 Farmers' Market Nutrition Program Transitions to Electronic Platform

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is pleased to announce the transition of the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program (FMNP) from paper benefits to a mobile closed loop, EBT payment solution for the 2023 season. In September 2022, CT DoAg received $250,000 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Benefit Delivery Modernization Grant to invest in technology that will streamline benefit delivery for participants and improve equitable access to locally grown fruits and vegetables. CT DoAg will utilize SoliSytems to administer and redeem FMNP benefits.

• 2/28/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Seizes Sheep from Beacon Falls Farm

  (HARTFORD, CT) – On February 24, 2023, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) executed a search and seizure warrant for animals located in Beacon Falls, CT.

• 2/10/2023 CT DoAg Announces Funding Opportunities for Connecticut Specialty Crops

  (HARTFORD) The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is now accepting applications for the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) for the 2023 program year.

• 2/10/2023 CT DoAg Announces Recipients of Farm Transition Grant

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) today announced the recipients of grant funds through the Farm Transition Grant (FTG), with a total of $549,649 going to 30 projects to assist Connecticut agricultural producers and cooperatives seeking to expand, diversify, and improve their existing operation.

• 1/27/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Awards 21 Farmland Restoration Program Grants Totaling $292,833

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt announces that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture has awarded funds to 21 projects from the Farmland Restoration Program (FLRP), totaling $292,833 to increase food and fiber production by restoring prime and important farmland soils into active agricultural production and mitigating impacts of climate change by developing climate smart resiliency plans. Eligible entities included Connecticut farmers, landowners, non-profits, and municipalities.

• 1/23/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Funds Eight Projects with Food System Capacity Building Grant

  More than $79,000 Awarded to Increase Food Access and Address Food Insecurity Utilizing CT Grown Food Products

• 1/20/2023 Connecticut Milk Promotion Board Announces Funding Opportunities

• 1/11/2023 State Veterinarian Statement on Torrington Cat Infected with Rabies

  HARTFORD, CT – Today, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s (CT DoAg) State Veterinarian Jane Lewis, DVM, MSFS, DACVPM, released the following statement due to an unvaccinated young cat becoming infected with rabies in Litchfield County. No human exposure was reported.

• 1/5/2023 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Announces CT Grown 4 CT Kids Grant Recipients

  (STATEWIDE) Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt announces that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture has awarded 32 grants from the Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids Grant (CTG4CTK Grant), totaling $452,268 to develop and enhance farm-to-school programs. Established under P.A. 21-0002, S. 364, these awards will increase the availability of local foods in child nutrition programs, allow educators to use hands-on educational techniques to teach students about nutrition and farm-to-school connections, sustain relationships with local farmers and producers, enrich the educational experience of students, improve the health of children in the state and enhance the state's economy.

• 12/16/2022 Gallup Family One Step Closer to Preserving Farming Legacy

  (Hartford, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg), in cooperation with Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT) and USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), is pleased to announce the third phase of a multi-year project to permanently protect Gallup Homestead Farm in Voluntown has been completed.

• 12/8/2022 Pesce Farm in Bolton Permanently Protected

  (Hartford, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is pleased to announce the preservation of Pesce Farm in Bolton. This 68-acre farm was protected in concert with Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT), USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS), and Bolton Land Trust bringing the tally of farms protected this calendar year by CT DoAg to five farms and 333 acres. Since the inception of the program in 1979 the state has protected 404 farms and 47,679 acres.

• 11/17/2022 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Releases Climate Smart Farming: Agriculture & Forestry Grant Guidance

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is pleased to announce the Climate Smart Farming: Agriculture and Forestry Grant Guidance is now available with up to $7 million available in funding for projects which support climate smart farming practices. Funding is provided through Public Act 22-118 Sec 12(b)(70) which provides $7 million for fiscal year ending June 30, 2023. Applications are due no later than 4:00 p.m. on Monday, January 16, 2023.

• 11/10/2022 Newly Formed Farmer Veteran Coalition of Connecticut Officially Launch

  (HARTFORD) Today Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt, CT Farmer Veteran member and owner of Mountain View Farm Lorren Pogson, USDA Rural Development Southern New England State Director Scott Soares, Farmer Veteran Coalition (FVC) of CT President Jared McCool, and Executive Director of CT Resource Conservation & Development (CT RC&D) Jeanne Davies gathered to officially announce the formation of the Farmer Veteran Coalition of Connecticut and release the Homegrown by Heroes CT Grown brand logo.

• 11/4/2022 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Accepting Applications for Feral Cat Grant Program

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s Animal Population Control Program (APCP) is now accepting applications for the Feral Cat Grant Program for Fiscal Year 2023. Applications must be completed and returned by mail with postmark no later than November 30, 2022.