Connecticut Seeks Agriculture Disaster Declaration Due To Severe Flooding of Farms

Governor Ned Lamont has submitted a request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for a federal agriculture disaster declaration for all eight counties in Connecticut due to the significant damage that occurred to farms and crops statewide from flooding, particularly along the Connecticut River and other waterways.

The request comes after the Connecticut Department of Agriculture conducted an assessment of flood damage to farms, which found that 27 farms in the state are estimating losses totaling more than 1,500 acres and nearly $21 million in lost sales revenue. This flooding is in addition to two previous frost events in February and May that resulted in 1,077 acres impacted with estimated losses totaling $8.4 million.

In a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas J. Vilsack, Lamont noted that Connecticut received 10.74 inches of rain so far in July, which is 423% of the state’s normal rainfall for the month.

If the request is approved, farmers will be eligible for certain federal disaster assistance programs, such as emergency loans, to cover production losses they experienced from the flooding.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture earlier this month approved an agriculture disaster declaration for all eight counties in Connecticut due to the impact of the sub-freezing weather conditions that occurred May 18, causing significant damage to crops. Farmers who experienced damage from that weather event had eight months to apply for emergency loans from the federal government.

Topics Flood Agribusiness Connecticut