U.S. Sen. Christopher Murphy is encouraging Connecticut's beginning and aspiring farmers to apply for assistance through the U.S. Department of Agriculture's new $5.6 billion commitment to serve new farmers. In Connecticut, nearly one-third of farms are considered "beginning farms" and are operated by individuals with less than 10 years of farming experience.
"Connecticut's farmers contribute a whopping $2 billion to the state's economy each year. But it can be especially challenging for beginning farmers to get their businesses running. As I've toured farms throughout the state, I hear the same thing: access to money and training can be hard to come by," said Murphy. "The bottom line is that Connecticut's new farmers need our help. The USDA's new $5.6 billion commitment can help them get the tools they need to break into our state's booming agricultural industry."
In addition to the USDA's $5.6 billion commitment, the Department also announced the launch of a new website https://newfarmers.usda.gov/ designed to connect farm entrepreneurs with programs and resources available to help them get their businesses started. The site features advice and guidance – from writing a business plan, to obtaining a loan, to filing taxes. Farmers can also use the site's Discovery Tool to build a personalized set of recommendations of programs and services that may meet their needs.
