Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agriculture Farm To School topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Farm‑to‑school advocates urge lawmakers to restore Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids grant funding
Summary
School food directors, farmers and students urged the Appropriations subcommittee to restore the Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids grant program, telling members the $1 million line helps buy local food for school meals and supports gardens and hands‑on food education.
School food directors, farmers and youth testified before the Appropriations subcommittee that the governor’s proposed budget eliminates the Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids grant program and urged restoration of the grant at $1 million per year.
Zane Tigu, a junior at New Canaan High School and a member of the Connecticut Farm to School advisory committee, told the panel the grant has funded farm‑to‑school projects that reached more than 50,000 youth since 2021 and that demand continues to exceed funding. “We urge the Appropriations Committee to continue funding the Connecticut Grown for Connecticut Kids grants program at 1000000 dollars per year,” he said.
Why it matters: Witnesses said farm‑to‑school grants enable schools and preschools to buy local produce, build school gardens and run hands‑on education that connects children to food sources and local agriculture. Farm directors and food service leaders told the committee that restoring the grant supports local farmers and helps students try fresh foods they rarely see otherwise.
What speakers described - School food directors said districts that participate buy locally grown produce and host garden and greenhouse programs; one food service director said her district spent $35,000 on Connecticut‑grown products this year and wanted to expand greenhouse capacity with grant support. - Farmers described micro‑grants that funded equipment to increase production for school purchases and said the program helped build reliable school‑farm relationships. Diane Dorfer, a farmer in Mansfield Center, said a $5,000 microgrant allowed her to increase production of root vegetables for local schools.
Request on the record - Multiple education and farm witnesses asked for continuation of the grant at $1,000,000 per year for FY 2026 and FY 2027 so school districts and childcare centers can plan and maintain farm‑to‑school activities.
Ending: Witnesses said the school‑to‑farm connections improve nutrition education, benefit local agriculture and create economic activity in Connecticut; they urged the subcommittee to restore the program in the final budget.
