Gov. Ned Lamont has announced plans to form a group to focus on increasing diversity, racial equity and inclusion within Connecticut”™s agriculture industry.
The new Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Connecticut Agriculture Working Group will be administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture and address issues including business planning and access to resources, and financial planning, securing land tenures, education and training, and market access and diversification.
The Department of Agriculture is accepting nominations for participants through April 4. https://portal.ct.gov/DOAG/Boards/Boards/Diversity-Equity-and-Inclusion-Working-Group
Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt said barriers and access issues make it difficult for people of color to enter and remain in agriculture.
“This initiative will ensure that Connecticut agriculture better reflects our population by identifying resource gaps, providing support for businesses to gro, and supplying a connection to markets,” Hulburt said.
“We need to do a better job of supporting diversity and inclusion within all sectors of our economy, including agriculture,” added Lamont.
“We want this working group to collaborate on the barriers that prevent people from entering this sector and create recommendations for what the state and agriculture service providers can do to better support diversity and inclusion within Connecticut”™s agricultural community.”
