A new federal grant will offer relief to farmers whose crops were damaged during catastrophic weather events.
Farmers in Connecticut are getting additional support from the federal government through a new $220 million Farm Recovery and Support Block Grant. The program is aimed at helping small and medium-sized farmers impacted by severe weather, including the flooding in 2023 and the hailstorms in 2024.
William Dellacamera, the owner of Cecarelli’s Harrison Hill Farm in Northford, drove his tractor around Connecticut, garnering additional support from farmers, after he lost his crop in 2024 to a hailstorm. He then drove a large sign down to Washington, D.C. as he met with the U.S.D.A. and U.S. Representative Rosa DeLauro to urge the federal government to do more after, he said, federal programs and insurance weren’t cutting it. And after disasters, the only thing farmers were being offered was low-interest loans.
“These programs are not even paying what they should. There's a catch and they take money out. So when we're looking to be whole, we're never made whole, said Dellacamera.
Following Dellacamera’s push in Washington, D.C., DeLauro and other lawmakers, including U.S. Senators Chris Murphy and Richard Blumenthal,along with U.S. Representatives Joe Courtney and John Larson, took action to secure this block grant.
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“It gives me a good feeling that they want to know what's going on. They're listening to us and they're trying to craft something for everybody. And it's not just about me for my hail. It's about everybody,” said Dellacamera.
The grant is coming through the U.S.D.A. Farm Service Agency and there is $220 million available to eight states, all six New England states, Hawaii and Alaska, according to Dellacamera.
“Farmers in other states and other states are watching us right now with a magnifying glass to see how this works, because this could change the whole way that emergency disasters are dealt with. And it's a change we all need. All of us farmers need this change,” said Dellacamera.
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Dellacamera said they are also pushing for support for farmers at the state level this legislative session.
