SENATOR OSTEN PROUDLY SUPPORTS FARM BILL, GRATEFUL FOR STATE AID BENEFITTING DAIRY FARMS

HARTFORD – State Senator Cathy Osten (D-Sprague) today joined a unanimous and bipartisan vote in the state Senate to support Connecticut dairy farmers at a time when they need support, creating new state programs and expanding existing state aid to help farmers thrive.
 
“It’s really important for us to support an industry that does so much good for our state. This bill, in particular, will save an industry,” Sen. Osten said. “It is so important for us to stand by these family-owned businesses that support each and every one of us. Not only do we like to see our dairy industry as it populates our roadside, but quite frankly, the dairy industry is the backbone of agriculture in Connecticut.”

Senate Bill 148 supports Connecticut dairy farms through a number of new measures, including:

• Creates the Dairy Modernization Grant Program under the Department of Agriculture, which will aid farms with equipment, operational, and infrastructure investments.
• Expands eligibility for a farm investment tax credit program to include Connecticut taxpayers with annual income from farming of at least $250,000.
• Establishes a working group to study dairy farming sustainability, looking at long-term recommendations for the state dairy industry.
• Reinstates recommended land use values for forest land, thereby reversing an unexpected increase until the next revaluation period.

In the last 20 years, Connecticut’s dairy farms have fallen by 63% — far from a peak of nearly 1,000 dairy farms in the 1950s and 1960s. Fewer than 80 dairy farms now remain in the state, with Connecticut’s dairy farmers expected to lose $20 million this year – largely due to federal milk ordering systems that are tied to Midwestern dairy prices, where production and feed costs are lower.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for consideration.  
 
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