U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a cooperative agreement with local food producers in Connecticut which is expected to benefit underserved communities.
Under USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service's cooperative agreement with Connecticut Department of Agriculture, the state's department will receive funding to promote economic opportunities for Connecticut's food producers, according to an April 20 USDA news release. Connecticut is the second state to sign on to a cooperative agreement under the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement Program.
"This Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement will connect new and historically underserved communities to healthy, local food while also expanding new market opportunities for farmers and producers," USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt said in the release. "USDA is excited to partner with the state of Connecticut in addressing food insecurity and thankful for the state's early leadership and commitment to the Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement."
Connecticut won't be the last state to sign on, Moffitt said in the release.
"USDA looks forward to working with more states and tribal governments to strengthen local partnerships and ensure that underserved communities have access to locally sourced, healthy food," she said, according to the release.
"Funds received through the LFPA cooperative agreement will enable us to continue prior efforts to bring locally grown food from Connecticut farmers to the tables of underserved neighbors," Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt said in the release. "Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Connecticut actively engaged in emergency feeding programs with a focus on the inclusion of CT Grown products and this offers an opportunity to expand upon those efforts."
