Under gray skies and with the promise of post-event blueberry shortcake, a small crowd gathered for a bill signing ceremony Wednesday morning in South Windsor.
Standing in front of lush green leaves, Gov. Ned Lamont and Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt joined several Connecticut farmers and state legislators in celebrating a pair of bills that supporters hope will improve the state’s agriculture sector and boost support for local farmers, a group that has faced significant headwinds in recent years.
“We’re doing everything we can to preserve more farmland, make sure that farmland is there,” Lamont said. “Not just for your generation, but for generations to come.”
The two bills Lamont signed establish a range of new incentives and protections for farm owners in the state.
The more comprehensive of the bills, referred to as the “CT Farm Bill,” creates a 20% tax credit for “farm investment property,” establishes a reimbursement program for crop loss and allows the agriculture commissioner to create regulations for drone use in farming. The bill also addresses other aspects of the agriculture industry, including shellfish harvesting and agritourism.
The second bill creates a land access grant program that will make the costs of purchasing land more affordable and accessible to current and prospective farmers.
While Echo Farm owner Robert Chang acknowledged that the grant program wouldn’t be a “silver bullet,” he said it will make things easier for future generations interested in farming in the state.
“If Connecticut is going to have a vibrant farm industry in the future, we are going to need to have anybody who has the knowledge, the skill, the passion and the drive to farm to have the opportunity to be successful,” he added.
Taken together, the bills mark an important investment in Connecticut’s agricultural industry, arriving as food providers across the country face increasing strain.
Farmers in Connecticut have navigated an uncertain federal funding landscape in recent months, sparking concerns that the costs for both producing and purchasing food would increase. Severe weather in recent years has also strained local farms, at times wiping out entire crops at once.
The new laws could be a boon for a key industry in the state. A 2024 analysis of Connecticut’s agricultural sector found that it contributes more than 30,000 jobs — and roughly $4 billion — to the state’s economy. Efforts to bolster the industry and increase the number of farms and farm owners have sparked a number of state initiatives, including a program to train farmers from historically marginalized communities.
But more than that, supporters hope the new laws will further establish that farmers are a vital resource in the state and the region more broadly.
“These bills are about saying, ‘We love you,’” Lamont said as the event came to a close. “We know how much you mean to the state of Connecticut.”