Governor Lamont Highlights Growth of Meals Help Packages To Improve Entry to Domestically Grown Meals at Connecticut Farmers Markets

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08/12/2022

Governor Lamont Highlights Growth of Meals Help Packages To Improve Entry to Domestically Grown Meals at Connecticut Farmers Markets

(MIDDLETOWN, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont right this moment visited the Middletown Farmers Market to have a good time Nationwide Farmers Market Week and spotlight the latest growth of the state’s meals help applications to supply elevated entry to contemporary, domestically grown meals at farmers markets in Connecticut.

Nationwide Farmers Market Week, which runs this 12 months from August 7 to 13, is an annual celebration that highlights the very important function farmers markets play within the nation’s meals system. There are greater than 200 licensed farmers markets and farm stands in Connecticut, which could be situated by visiting www.ctgrown.gov/farmersmarkets. An interactive map of Connecticut’s farmers markets could be discovered at www.ctgrown.org.

During the last two years, Governor Lamont and the state legislature accepted a number of adjustments to the state’s meals help applications with the purpose of guaranteeing that households of all revenue ranges have entry to nutritious, contemporary, domestically grown meals, whereas on the identical time supporting Connecticut’s farmers.

On the Middletown Farmers Market, roughly 90% of the purchasers are seniors who use these applications, which embody the Farmers Market Vitamin Program, the Supplemental Vitamin Help Program (SNAP), and CT Recent Match.

“Each particular person ought to have entry to nutritious meals no matter whether or not they stay in a rural, suburban, or city neighborhood, and by increasing our meals help applications to extend the flexibility to simply accept these advantages at farmers markets, we are able to get wholesome meals to everybody,” Governor Lamont mentioned. “Moreover, supporting farmers markets means supporting Connecticut’s agriculture trade and the roles that this sector maintains. I strongly encourage everybody to go to one in every of our state’s many farmers markets and get some Connecticut Grown merchandise.”

Throughout the newest legislative session, the Farmers Market Vitamin Program, which is run by the Connecticut Division of Agriculture, obtained extra funding for eligible people to redeem checks at licensed farmers markets and farm stands. Eligible people embody seniors over the age of 60, and ladies, infants, and kids who meet sure tips. Eligible contributors can obtain as much as $32.00 in checks by way of this program, which can be utilized to buy contemporary Connecticut Grown fruits, greens, eggs, lower herbs, and honey.

Many farmers markets in Connecticut additionally settle for SNAP advantages, with some providing to double these advantages. To additional this, the Connecticut Division of Agriculture this 12 months used $200,000 in funding that it obtained from the American Rescue Plan Act to broaden the CT Recent Match program, which is run by Finish Starvation CT and permits farmers markets to double buyer purchases made with SNAP advantages.

“Connecticut’s farmers markets are a collective effort fostering direct to shopper gross sales, reinforcing the farm to plate connection, and offering a vital entry level for brand spanking new and starting farmers,” Connecticut Division of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt mentioned. “Farmers markets gasoline native economies and supply elevated entry to nutritious, contemporary Connecticut Grown meals for our most weak populations.”

“Vitamin is vitally essential, significantly for older adults,” Connecticut Division of Growing old and Incapacity Providers Commissioner Amy Porter mentioned. “We’re happy to advertise the Senior Farmers’ Market Vitamin Program, which will increase entry to contemporary meals for older adults. These coupons can be found by way of many senior facilities, municipal brokers, and different service suppliers.”

Connecticut’s agriculture trade generates $4 billion within the state’s financial system and fosters greater than 21,000 jobs.

Twitter: @GovNedLamont

Fb: Office of Governor Ned Lamont