Gov. Ned Lamont has submitted a request to declare an agricultural disaster in Connecticut from Tropical Storm Elsa last month.
The request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture follows several weeks of assessments during which staff from the state Department of Agriculture toured farms statewide to see what damage had occurred, according to a news release from the governor’s office Thursday.
If approved, the declaration will make farmers in all eight Connecticut counties eligible for certain federal disaster assistance programs, such as emergency loans, to cover losses they experienced as a result of the July 9 storm, the release said.
“Farm owners are small business owners, and not only are they responsible for employing a significant number of people and generating economic activity, but they grow the food that we all rely on,” Lamont said. “Any bit of relief from the damage sustained during this tropical storm will be an aid to these farmers. The USDA has been a great partner to Connecticut, and I appreciate their assistance on this recovery effort.”
Agricultural Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt said, “In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Elsa, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture worked in coordination with the USDA Farm Service Agency to ensure that producers reported damages and crop loss within the required timeframe. The reports submitted indicate that damages and crop losses are significantly above the 30% trigger to request the declaration. If approved, this will provide assistance to eligible producers in approved counties to ensure they have the tools needed to continue for future seasons.”
The National Weather Service recorded wind speeds between 39 and 42 mph across Connecticut during the storm, and rainfall between 1.5 to 5 inches. Additional thunderstorms in the days following further complicated the recovery, increasing the month of July’s rainfall between 104% to 382% across the state, the governor’s office said.
Rain poured down on the state before Elsa arrived as well, with downpours making for a soggy Memorial Day weekend.
Some farmers reported losing entire fields of crops to floodwaters.
Christine Dempsey can be reached at cdempsey@courant.com.
