Last week CT RC&D board members and staff had the opportunity along with Congressman Joe Courtney and Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt to welcome USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small to eastern Connecticut. The visit to local farms gave an opportunity to hear from farmers on how they’ve used federal funding.

A strong focus was on the USDA Rural Development REAP Grant program which enables farms to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. The tour included a stop at Running Brook Farms in Killingworth with owners Becky Goetsch and Scott Papoosha. They have utilized REAP funding to make energy efficiency upgrades as well as install solar at the farm. 

At the press conference held at Running Brook Farms it was announced that CT RC&D was a recipient of the USDA REAP TAG grant that will enable continued work through the CT Farm Energy Program for the next three years. For fifteen years, CT RC&D has assisted farms and ag-based rural small businesses in securing nearly 7.5 million dollars in REAP grant funding. This has resulted in close to 34 million dollars’ worth of projects being implemented in Connecticut. In the last two quarters of 2024, CT RC&D supported $1.3 million dollars in grant applications submissions to the REAP program for farms.

Next was a visit to Long Table Farm in Lyme for a tour with owner Baylee Drown and a roundtable discussion on USDA programs with local farmers, including Michael Swanson of Broad Brook Acres in Preston, Robert Chang of Echo Farms in Woodstock, Chris Pacheco of Seacoast Mushrooms in Stonington, and Paul Larson of Sprucedale Gardens.