Connecticut’s farms will receive nearly $5 million in emergency assistance grants from the state after this year’s flooding and unprecedented storms.
Through an application process, 239 farms will receive awards – including roughly 10 farms in Fairfield County. Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said the grants will help preserve the state’s agricultural base and ensure there is a support system in place to help them recover.
“I visited several Connecticut farms that experienced weather damage this summer and saw they were literally under water, with farmers working 16 to 18 hour days trying to pump fields dry and harvest crops before they were engulfed by flood waters,” Malloy said in a press release. “Unfortunately, these farms have been disproportionately affected by recent severe weather events and incurred some losses that are not protected under federal crop insurance programs.”
The grants will help farmers repair property and equipment, replant crops, purchase feed, and apply fertilizers and other products to prevent disease.
