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The state Department of Agriculture announced $2 million in funding for farmland preservation through the department's new Community Farms Preservation Program. This pilot program funds cooperative state-local farmland preservation projects in qualifying municipalities.
The program encourages locally supported farmland preservation, especially smaller farms.
The Community Farms Preservation Program will be implemented in two phases: prequalification and application/evaluation.
During prequalification, interested municipalities must complete the following steps by May 31: 1. Recognize farmland preservation in the plan of conservation and development or interim town plan for local farmland preservation; 2. Establish an agricultural commission and/or program for farmland preservation; 3. Inventory its local farmland resources; 4. Prioritize farms for preservation using a criteria scoring or ranking system; 5. Designate a fund for farmland preservation and have a method of funding; 6. Request identification of locally important farmland soils through U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service.
By Oct. 1, the department expects to complete application evaluation and determine projects that will become part of the pilot program.
The Community Farms Preservation Program is voluntary. Interested farmers and municipalities are encouraged to contact the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to discuss eligibility. For more information, please contact Program Director J. Dippel or Property Agent Katherine Winslow by phone at 860-713-2511 or in writing to: Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Farmland Preservation Program, 165 Capitol Avenue, G8A, Hartford, CT 06106.