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Sept. 29., 2021: Governor Lamont Directs Nearly $10 Million in COVID Relief Funding for Connecticut’s Dairy and Aquaculture Industries

Governor Ned Lamont announced on September 29 that he is directing nearly $10 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Funding and American Recovery Plan Act funding to support Connecticut’s dairy and aquaculture industries, which experienced significant market disruptions during the pandemic, negatively impacting sales. Additional funds will be used to address food insecurity with funds to purchase CT Grown products for drive-through distributions and extending the availability of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at farmers markets.

Grown for CT Kids; the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program; the Senior’s Farmers Market Nutrition program; and Foodshare’s drive-through distribution. These dollars will keep Foodshare distribution open through at least the end of October. With these new dollars, the state will have reached a total investment of $10.3 million in these programs. “Our farmers and their teams are essential workers who played a critical role in getting Connecticut through the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Governor Lamont said. “I am grateful for their dedication to ensuring that our residents have access to clean, healthy food. This investment will help keep these incredibly important businesses afloat and keep Connecticut families fed.” “Connecticut agriculture was deemed essential during the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing them to continue planting, growing, and harvesting a diverse array of food critical to feeding the residents of our state,” Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt said. “However, like so many others, these family businesses were negatively impacted by market disruptions and closures. These funds will strengthen those sectors most severely impacted while also investing in food security programs buying Connecticut Grown food products to support local families.” “Connecticut farmers have been frontline heroes during this pandemic,” the members of Connecticut’s Congressional delegation said in a joint statement. “Their resilience throughout this crisis has been vital to ensuring Connecticut families have fresh food on their tables. These federal dollars will provide much-needed relief to the Connecticut family farmers who have overcome unprecedented challenges while providing healthy, locally grown food for those experiencing hunger. We were proud to secure this funding to get our farmers the help they need.” “We are grateful for the support we continue to receive from Governor Lamont and our federal delegation and their commitment to prioritizing fighting food insecurity in Connecticut, as well as their role in securing this COVID-19 relief funding used to fund these projects,” Connecticut Foodshare CEO and President Jason Jakubowski said. “Through continued collaboration between the Office of the Governor, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, and Connecticut Foodshare, we’re not only able to provide food to households around the state but support our local Connecticut growers.” “COVID-19 market disruptions shuttered many opportunities and devastated the aquaculture and dairy markets,” Joan Nichols, executive director of the Connecticut Farm Bureau Association said. “These strategic investments in agriculture are in great need for farmers to continue operating and providing safe, affordable, and healthy foods to residents.”

Milkman, an online subscription home delivery service of pantry staples to families in Hartford and Tolland counties. “This administration’s support of Connecticut agriculture, specifically the dairy industry, will ensure the future sustainability of family businesses like mine,” Seth Bahler, CEO of Oakridge Dairy, said. “The market disruptions, fluctuations in commodity pricing, and weather have been a real challenge and this funding is a tremendous benefit at a time when it’s most needed.”

USDA GRANTS FOR FOOD PRODUCERS AFFECTED BY THE PANDEMIC The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of $92.2 million in competitive grant funding under the 2018 Farm Bill’s Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP). The LAMP grants are funded through the Farmers Market program as part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers Initiative. USDA launched this initiative in March to address shortfalls and disparities in how assistance was distributed in previous COVID-19 assistance packages, with a specific focus on strengthening outreach to underserved producers and communities and small and medium agricultural operations. These grants support the development, coordination and expansion of direct producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets and enterprises and value-added agricultural products. USDA encourages projects that assist underserved local and regional agricultural businesses, producer networks and associations, and local and tribal government in responding to COVID-19 disruptions and impacts. Funding is not contingent upon applicants directly addressing these issues. For more information about grant eligibility and previously funded projects, visit the FMPP webpage, LFPP webpage or RFSP webpage or contact us at USDAFMPPQuestions@usda.gov, USDALFPPQuestions@usda.gov, or IPP Grants@usda.gov.

USDA Application Period Open for Conservation Innovation Grants On-Farm Trials through June 21

USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service is seeking proposals through June 21 for Conservation Innovation Grants On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials. Through the program, NRCS and partners collaborate to implement onthe-ground conservation activities and then evaluate their impact. NRCS is seeking proposals that address at least one of the following four OnFarm Trial priorities:

Climate-smart agricultural solutions

Soil health demonstration trial

Irrigation water management

Management technologies and strategies

NRCS will accept proposals from the following eligible entities: Private entities whose primary business is related to agriculture Non-government organizations with experience working with agricultural producers Non-federal government agencies Visit the grants.gov website and view the On-Farms Trials funding announcement. For more information on CIG On-Farm Trials, please visit the On-Farm Trials webpage.

Due June 1, 2021: Farm Credit East Grants for Northeast Farmers’ markets

Farm Credit East recently announced that it will be providing small grants to Northeast farmers’ markets to support their promotion and development efforts. Interested farmers’ markets must apply by June 1. Any farmers’ market located within Farm Credit East’s territory is eligible to apply. Grants will be offered up to $500. Special consideration will be given to first-time applicants and markets supporting underserved communities with limited access to fresh, local food. Grant applications must be received by Tuesday, June 1 and applicants will be notified by June 15. Visit FarmCreditEast.com/FarmersMarket to learn more or to apply.

Connecticut Department of Agriculture 2021 Farm Viability Grants, due June 3, 2021 at 4 pm

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture announced the 2021 Farm Viability Grant (FVG) guidance is available. Applications are due June 3, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. The 2021 program has been reenvisioned with a goal of funded programs which directly respond to a specific problem, interest, or need of the state’s agricultural industry. Projects are requested in the areas of urban agriculture, food systems, diversity, equity, and inclusion, and farmland access. Four Questions of Focus have been developed and applicants will choose one to submit a project proposal that responds to the question, developing a potential solution, or progress towards a solution for the priority area. Grant guidelines and forms can be found at www.CTGrown.gov/grants. Additional detail on match requirements and eligible expenses can be found in the guidance. All applications will be submitted electronically via a Cognito Forms link. A virtual workshop to assist interested applicants in learning about the new structure of the grant and application process will occur on May 20, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. via a Microsoft Teams call. Questions regarding the Farm Viability Grant can be directed to Amanda King at Amanda.King@ct.gov or found online at www.CTGrown.gov/grants.

March 30, 2021 Proposed Amendments to New Milford Zoning Regulations Regarding Agriculture. Download below

Connecticut’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is now accepting applications for the 2021 program year. The goal of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is to solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in domestic and foreign markets. An eligible plant must be intensively cultivated and used by people for food, medicinal purposes, and/or aesthetic gratification to be considered a specialty crop. The complete definition of specialty crops can be found on the USDA’s website.

Eligible applicants include commodity groups, agricultural organizations, colleges and universities, municipalities, state agencies, and agricultural nonprofits. The USDA wants to see as many entities as possible benefit from these dollars during the three years in which the project can take place.  As a result, individual farms or businesses are encouraged to apply and partner with other eligible applicants rather than apply themselves.

This is a reimbursement grant for research with awards up to $75,000. Completed applications must be sent to AGR.Grants@ct.gov by 4 p.m. on March 19, 2021. For more information on the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and an example application, please visit the website, www.ctgrown.gov/grants and click on Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, or contact Haley Rowland at 860-895-3095 or haley.rowland@ct.gov.

Due to the national public health emergency caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the temporary suspension of past-due debt collections and foreclosures for distressed borrowers under the Farm Storage Facility Loan and the Direct Farm Loan programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). USDA will temporarily suspend non-judicial foreclosures, debt offsets or wage garnishments, and referring foreclosures to the Department of Justice; and USDA will work with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to stop judicial foreclosures and evictions on accounts that were previously referred to the Department of Justice. Additionally, USDA has extended deadlines for producers to respond to loan servicing actions, including loan deferral consideration for financially distressed and delinquent borrowers. In addition, for the Guaranteed Loan program, flexibilities have been made available to lenders to assist in servicing their customers.

For the full press release and more information, click here.

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the Farm Transition Grant (FTG) has been restructured to better serve Connecticut farmers and farmer cooperatives.

The creation of five grant categories will address gaps in funding to support farmers in times of growth, change, and emergency need. Applications will be accepted starting April 8 and due no later than 4:00 p.m. on April 15, 2021.   

“The changes to our Farm Transition Grant are a direct result of listening to the producers we currently serve and creating attractive funding opportunities for new farmers in Connecticut,” said Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt. “The revised categories will level the playing field through a proactive approach, which fosters an environment of innovation and support, throughout the lifecycle of a farmer and their business enterprise.” 

The Farm Transition Grant is a matching grant program for Connecticut farmers and agricultural cooperatives to support the diversification of existing farm operations, transitioning to value-added agricultural production and sales. Funding is provided through C.G.S. Section 22-26j. 

“The Farm Transition Grant was previously a one-size-fits-all approach. After hosting a farmer focus group and giving extensive consideration to industry needs, five new grant categories have been developed,” said Jaime Smith, Bureau Director for Agricultural Development and Resource Conservation. “The agency strives to support farmers from those just beginning, to those well established. We now have grant opportunities which echo that.”  

The new grant categories are summarized below.  

• New Farmer Micro Grants:  To support new individuals/partnerships who have one full year to three years of production history and are seeking long-term careers that financially support them through farming and agriculture.  
• Infrastructure Investment Grant:  To support farmers in production for a minimum of three years with infrastructure to expand the farm’s production and operation.   
• Research and Development Grant:  For farms to conduct research to assess the viability and development of a new product line, service, or market.  
• Innovation and Diversification Grant:  For the implementation of a new product or service for market or business expansion after a research and development phase has been explored.   
• Crisis and Emergency Response Grant: To provide aid in response to disasters where federal support, insurance, and loans are unavailable or have been exhausted. (This grant will not be initially available and will be announced as needed at a later date.) 

Grant guidelines and forms can be found at www.CTGrown.gov/grants for additional detail on match requirements and eligible expenses.  

A virtual workshop to assist interested applicants in learning about the new grant categories and application process will occur at 1:00 p.m. on March 17, 2021. The session will be recorded and posted to the agency website if you are unable to attend the live event.   

Questions regarding the Farm Transition Grant can be directed to Amanda King at Amanda.King@ct.gov or found online at www.CTGrown.gov/grants.

January 26, 2021: USDA Temporarily Suspends Debt Collections, Foreclosures and Other Activities on Farm Loans for Several Thousand Distressed Borrowers Due to Coronavirus. Read full Press Release here.