Connecticut Farmers Gain Access to $52.9 Million Federal Disaster Relief Fund for Weather Losses
Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt, and members of the state's Congressional delegation have announced the opening of the application period for disaster relief funding for Connecticut farmers. A total of $52.9 million has been allocated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to cover losses incurred by severe and unseasonable weather events in 2023 and 2024. These weather events included late frosts, freezes, historic flooding, hail storms, and drought, which caused significant crop losses, infrastructure damage, equipment losses, and increased production costs for farms across the state. The application portal for the Farm Recovery and Support Block Grant Program is now open, with the first round of applications closing on October 7, 2026. Payments are expected to begin in mid-October following review and approval.