19/07/2024 | Press release | Archived content
Press Releases
07/19/2024
New One-on-One Support Available to Connecticut's Agriculture Industry
CT DoAg Contracts with Three Partner Organizations Utilizing USDA Funds for Business and Market Development
(HARTFORD, CT) - Connecticut's agriculture industry, including producers, food businesses, and non-profits sourcing CT Grown farm products, now have access to new one-on-one business technical assistance and grant coaching. Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is utilizing funds available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Resilient Food System Infrastructure Grant Program (RFSI) to contract with three separate entities to provide an array of services, including but not limited to, market diversification and development, supply chain coordination, and business and financial planning.
"Offering these services is critical to supporting Connecticut's agricultural community to ensure they have the tools and resources available improve the state's food supply chain, build strong businesses, and increase the resiliency of our food system," said Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt. "By supporting supply chain coordination and technical assistance in processing, aggregation, and distribution, we are striving to increase access to expanded and improved markets for farmers."
The three entities are CT Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Carrot Project, and New England Farmers of Color Land Trust (NEFOC). Each will have specific areas of assistance for program participants as follows:
CT SBDC
To get started, complete the CT SBDC intake form.
Carrot Project
To get started, email [email protected]
Northeast Farmers of Color Land Trust
To get started, email [email protected]
Agricultural producers or agribusinesses interested in working with any of the above organizations are welcome to contact them directly or reach out to [email protected], 860-895-3094.
Through the agreement with USDA, Connecticut has more than $2.1 million available in competitive grant funding for projects designed to building resilience across the middle of the supply chain. The RFSI grant program will open the second round of funding in February 2025. For more information on the program, please visit the website: https://portal.ct.gov/doag/adarc/adarc/grants/resilient-food-systems-infrastructure-program.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) mission is to foster a healthy economic, environmental, and social climate for agriculture by developing, promoting, and regulating agricultural businesses; protecting agricultural and aquacultural resources; enforcing laws pertaining to domestic animals; and promoting an understanding among the state's citizens of the diversity of Connecticut agriculture, its cultural heritage, and its contribution to the state's economy. For more information, visit www.CTGrown.gov.
FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES:
Rebecca Eddy, [email protected]
860-573-0323