HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) – The state announced that farmers in all eight Connecticut counties are eligible for assistance due to the drought.
Governor Ned Lamont announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved his request to expand the natural disaster declaration for certain parts of the state due to the drought. As a result, agricultural producers in all eight counties are now eligible for assistance.
The assistance is meant to help offset the cost of production losses they experience from the drought.
Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New London, and Windham counties have been designated as primary natural disaster areas due to the drought. New Haven and Tolland counties have been named as contiguous disaster counties. Farm operators in all eight counties are eligible for assistance.
“With this latest declaration from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the entirety of Connecticut is now covered under this natural disaster designation, allowing farmers in all eight of our counties to seek emergency assistance stemming from their production losses due to the drought,” Governor Lamont said. “Agricultural producers support thousands of jobs in Connecticut and are a critical component of our economy. I strongly encourage any farmer operators in Connecticut that experienced losses because of the drought to reach out to their local Farm Service Agency office for information on assistance that may be available.”
Farm operators interested in applying for assistance can click here. Farmers have eight months to apply.