Jaime Foster

A pair of new laws passed by the legislature this year will help provide incentives and protections to Connecticut farmers while helping to encourage growth in the state's agricultural industry.

As farmers face increasing threats from climate change to crops and rising costs to operate their farms, a series of new agricultural tax credits and grants have been put in place.

The “CT Farm Bill” establishes a new tax credit to incentivize investment in farming machinery, equipment, and buildings. Companion legislation creates a grant program within the Connecticut Department of Agriculture to protect farmland and improve land access for new farmers.

Some of the key provisions in the new laws include:

✔️20% tax credit for “farm investment property”

✔️Crop loss reimbursement

✔️Drone regulations to boost innovation

✔️Support for shellfish, agritourism & more

✔️Expanding land access grants

Connecticut's farming industry is an important sector of our state's economy by supporting thousands of jobs and providing the food we all need. Remember "No Farms, No Food!"

Both bills were passed on a bipartisan basis and are endorsed by the Connecticut Farm Bureau Association and the Working Lands Alliance.

You can read more about how Connecticut is supporting the agricultural and farming industry in our state in this article from the New Haven Register.