Grants

GRANT RESOURCES FOR FARMERS

New Milford farmers have benefitted from state and federal funding resources. The two primary sources are Agricultural Viability grants, offered through the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, and financial and technical assistance to eligible landowners and agricultural producers from the US Department of Agriculture/Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Below is a 31-page report prepared by Farm Credit East (July 2020) on Grants and Incentives for the Northeast Agriculture:

Grants and Incentives for Northeast Agriculture, July 2020

Below is a 10-page document listing several financial resources for farmers (2016):
Farmer’s Forum financial assistance research

Agricultural Viability Grants

Farm Viability Grants for nonprofits and municipalities and Farm Transition Grants for producers and co-ops are offered annually with applications due the second Friday of each November. For more information, contact Ronald Olsen at 860-713-2550 or Ronald.olsen@ct.gov, or visit the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s website, www.CTGrown.gov, and click on “Programs, Services, and Grants”
Agricultural Viability Grants are awarded on a competitive basis and matching funds must be supplied by the recipient. Grantees may receive up to $49,999 in matching funds and have one year to complete their projects.
A total of 214 Agricultural Viability Grants totaling $6.3 million have been awarded for projects having a combined total budget of $16.3 million.

Regional Food Hub Resource Guide

Pages 35-70 outline various Agricultural grants available from different departments of the USDA, as well as available grants from Foundations and Nonprofits. View the Regional Food Hub Resource Guide

NRCS Financial and Technical Assistance

Approves contracts to provide financial assistance to help plan and implement conservation practices. These address natural resource concerns or opportunities to help save energy, improve soil, water, plant, air, animal and related resources on agricultural lands

For help in identifying what is available and how to apply: http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national
/programs/financial

Or contact Kathleen Johnson, District Conservationist
USDA, NRCS
kathleen.johnson@ct.usda.gov
1185 New Litchfield Street
Torrington, CT 06790
(860) 626-8258 (Ext. 200)