Fairfield County farms approved to receive federal drought aid

U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a request by Gov. Ned Lamont to expand its natural disaster declaration for certain drought-stricken parts of Connecticut to the entire state.

Under this expanded declaration, Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New London and Windham counties have each been designated as primary natural disaster areas due to the drought. Farm operators in these counties are now eligible for federal assistance through the U.S. Farm Service Agency.

“Drought conditions hurt farmers across the state this summer,” Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt said. “The recent rainfall has alleviated water concerns for producers but doesn”™t bring back crops that were lost or significantly impacted with reduced yields. The disaster declaration provides a pathway for assistance, and we encourage producers to contact their local Farm Service Agency office for more guidance.”