Connecticut Department of Agriculture

Press Releases

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  • 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.

  • 2/28/2023 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 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.

  • 11/21/2024 CT DoAg Announces Historic New Program to Support Farmland Acquisition

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Today, Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt announced the release of guidance for a historic new program which will increase access to farm ownership opportunities, market access, and capital funding for socially disadvantaged farmers in Connecticut. Connecticut is the only state department of agriculture to be awarded funding from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for the implementation of the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access (LCMA) program.

  • 11/4/2024 CT DoAg Accepting Applications for Low-Income Spay/Neuter Program Starting November 4

    (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) will begin accepting applications for the Animal Population Control Program’s (APCP) Low-Income Program on Monday, November 4, 2024, to assist eligible Connecticut residents with spaying or neutering a dog or cat they own. Applications must be submitted using the new APCP portal.

  • 2/19/2020 Connecticut Representatives Vote to Pass Farm Workforce Modernization Act

    On December 11, 2019, Connecticut’s representatives to the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act (H.R. 5038), a bipartisan bill that seeks to address the growing labor crisis in the agriculture industry by creating a new pathway to legal status for undocumented citizens working in the U.S. agriculture industry.

  • 11/2/2020 Farmers' Market Nutrition Program Extended Until November 23 in Connecticut

    Continued access to fresh fruits and vegetables for WIC and Seniors at Connecticut farmers’ markets

  • 10/7/2024 CT DoAg Celebrates CT Grown for CT Kids Week, October 7-11

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Connecticut Department of Agriculture marked the start of Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids (CTG4CTK) Week from October 7 through October 11, with a visit to Beman Middle School in Middletown to announce nearly $80,000 to fund 19 CTG4CTK microgrant projects. Upon implementation these awards will continue developing farm to school programs throughout the state with the potential to positively impact more than 3,300 students. Beman Middle School received a CTG4CTK Grant award in fiscal year 2023 to provide a multi-faceted experiential learning opportunity for more than 900 students.

  • 10/8/2024 CT DoAg Issues Recall of Raw Milk from Nature View Dairy

    (HARTFORD, CT) – The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) has issued a stop sale and recall of bottled raw milk from Nature View Dairy in Bridgewater, CT. This action follows confirmation by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) of two human cases of Campylobacter illness which were related to the consumption of bottled raw milk. CT DoAg and DPH immediately began investigating the source of illness.

  • 10/31/2024 LT. GOVERNOR BYSIEWICZ AND AGRICULTURE COMMISSIONER HURLBURT CELEBRATE FARMLAND PRESERVATION MILESTONE OF 50,000 ACRES

    (Hartford, CT) – Yesterday, Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz and Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt were joined by partners to celebrate the protection of 50,000 acres statewide since the inception of the farmland preservation program in 1979. This significant achievement is part of a long-term goal to preserve 130,000 acres of farmland, ensuring that agriculture remains a vital part of Connecticut’s landscape and cornerstone of the state’s economy.

  • 5/29/2020 Connecticut Department of Agriculture Awards Farm Transition Grants

    HARTFORD, CT – Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt announces that the Connecticut Department of Agriculture has awarded 16 grants totaling $547,784.41 to strengthen the economic viability of Connecticut farmers and agricultural cooperatives seeking to expand, diversify, and improve their existing operation.

  • 7/24/2023 Governor Lamont Submits Request for Federal Agriculture Disaster Declaration Due to Severe Flooding

    (HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has submitted a request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture seeking a federal agriculture disaster declaration for all eight counties in Connecticut due to the significant damage that occurred to farms and crops statewide from the recent heavy rainfall that caused significant flooding, particularly along the Connecticut River and other waterways.

  • 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.

  • 10/4/2024 Celebrate the Fall Harvest: Explore Connecticut Farms for a Fun-Filled Experience

    (HARTFORD, CT) – As the leaves turn and the air cools, it’s time to embrace the beauty of autumn and all the delightful activities it brings. This fall, CT Grown invites families and friends to create lasting memories by visiting local farms for a variety of harvest activities, including pick-your-own apples and pumpkins, corn mazes, and award-winning farm wineries. Experience the joys of fall harvest activities that bring together community, tradition, and fun by gathering your loved ones and heading out to explore all that Connecticut’s farms have to offer.