Press Releases

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• 5/7/2025 Connecticut Residents Urged to Surrender or Dispose of Unsolicited Packages of Seeds

  (STATEWIDE) – The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) and the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg), are urging residents to remain vigilant following reports of unsolicited seed packages arriving by mail.

• 9/12/2022 The Connecticut Department of Agriculture Confirms Incidence of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus in Hartford County

  The Connecticut Department of Agriculture has confirmed Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus Type 2 (RHDV2) at a private residence in Hartford County.

• 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.

• 7/29/2022 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Funds Seven Local Food Purchase Assistance Awards Totaling $2 Million

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt announces that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) has awarded $2,031,000 million in funds to seven projects through funding from the USDA Agriculture Marketing Service Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program (LFPA).

• 10/21/2022 Farmers Tax Exemption Permit Renewal Information

• 6/3/2022 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Announces Additional Funding Opportunities for Connecticut Specialty Crops

  (HARTFORD) The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (DoAg) is pleased to announce the competitive solicitation process to award Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funds for projects that enhance competitiveness of specialty crops in Connecticut.

• 8/5/2022 Celebrate National Farmers' Market Week, August 7-13

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Now in its 23rd year, National Farmers’ Market Week (NFMW) is an annual celebration that highlights the vital role farmers’ markets play in the nation’s food system. Amidst global change, it is now more important than ever to showcase the importance of farmers’ markets in communities!

• 2/9/2022 Share The Love With Connecticut Grown

• 7/1/2022 Himmelstein Farm in Lebanon Permanently Protected

  (Hartford, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) announces that during fiscal year 2022, which ended on June 30, a total of 16 farms and 1,432 acres have been permanently protected through the Farmland Preservation Program. Since the inception of the program in 1979 the state has protected 47,611 acres of farmland and more than 400 farms.

• 6/8/2022 The Connecticut Department of Agriculture Awards 22 Farmland Restoration Program Grants Totaling $400,000

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt announces that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture has awarded funds to 22 projects from the Farmland Restoration Program (FLRP), totaling $400,000 to Connecticut farmers, landowners, non-profits, and municipalities to increase food and fiber production by restoring prime and important farmland soils into active agricultural production.

• 6/27/2022 Birkbeck Farm in North Stonington Permanently Protected

  (Hartford, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is pleased to announce the preservation of Birkbeck Farm in North Stonington. This 69-acre farm was protected in concert with Connecticut Farmland Trust (CFT) and USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) bringing the tally of farms protected this fiscal year by CT DoAg to 15 farms and 1,400 acres.

• 10/28/2022 Farm Transition Grant Features Four Dynamic Categories to Support Connecticut Agricultural Producers

  (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the 2023 Farm Transition Grant (FTG) application period will open on Tuesday, November 1, 2022. The grant features four dynamic categories to address gaps in funding to support farmers in times of growth and change. Applications are due no later than 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 11, 2022.   

• 10/14/2022 Farmland Restoration Grant Guidance Now Available For Projects To Restore Lands into Active Agricultural Production

• 2/14/2025 Support Local Farmers with a Farm Share Subscription

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables, eggs, cut flowers, meat, dairy, even shellfish – what do all of these have in common?

• 8/1/2025 GOVERNOR LAMONT ENCOURAGES RESIDENTS TO SHOP CONNECTICUT GROWN

  (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont is encouraging Connecticut residents to support local farmers during National Farmers’ Market Week – which runs from August 3 to 9, 2025 – by visiting some of the more than 100 certified farmers’ markets statewide and purchasing locally grown products designated with the Connecticut Grown logo.