Connecticut General Statutes 22-6c – Reimbursement of comprehensive farm nutrient management plan, farmland restoration and climate resiliency plan or farm resources management plan
(a) The Commissioner of Agriculture may pay, not more than fifty per cent of the cost in advance, or reimburse any farmer for part of the cost of compliance with a comprehensive farm nutrient management plan, farmland restoration and climate resiliency plan or a farm resources management plan, provided such plan has been approved by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection. The Commissioner of Agriculture, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture, may certify for payment or reimbursement comprehensive farm nutrient management or farm resources management plan practices that have been approved by the Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection pursuant to this section. The total federal and state grant available to a farmer shall not be more than ninety per cent of such cost. In making grants under this subsection, the Commissioner of Agriculture shall give priority to capital improvements made in accordance with a comprehensive farm nutrient management plan, a farmland restoration and climate resiliency plan or a farm resources management plan prepared pursuant to § 22a-354m.
Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 22-6c
- farm: includes farm buildings, and accessory buildings thereto, nurseries, orchards, ranges, greenhouses, hoophouses and other temporary structures or other structures used primarily for the raising and, as an incident to ordinary farming operations, the sale of agricultural or horticultural commodities. See Connecticut General Statutes 1-1
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
(b) The Commissioner of Agriculture may pay, not more than fifty per cent of the cost in advance, or reimburse any farmer for part of the cost to develop, implement and comply with a farm resources management plan or a farmland restoration and climate resiliency plan, including for the costs of farm equipment purchases, provided such plan has been approved by the commissioner. Such reimbursement or payment shall not exceed fifty per cent of the cost of such plan or twenty thousand dollars, whichever is less, except any such reimbursement or payment for such a plan on any state-owned land or any municipally owned land with an agricultural lease of five years or longer shall not exceed ninety per cent of the cost of such plan or twenty thousand dollars, whichever is less. The Commissioner of Agriculture may pay or reimburse any nonprofit organization, soil and water conservation district, The University of Connecticut Extension Services or any municipality to: (1) Provide technical assistance, (2) distribute grant funding to producers, (3) coordinate training programs, (4) coordinate projects that pilot or demonstrate conservation practices, (5) create tools that help reduce barriers to accessing assistance for conservation practices on farms, (6) establish equipment-sharing programs, or (7) other activities that will increase the number of farmers who are implementing climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices. Such plan may require agricultural restoration and climate-smart agricultural and forestry plans, practices and purposes, as defined in § 22-6d.
(c) For purposes of this section, “farmer” includes, but is not limited to, any lessee or franchise holder of a state or town shellfish bed and “farmland restoration and climate resiliency plan” means a conservation plan of the United States Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, a conservation plan of a soil and water conservation district established pursuant to § 22a-315 or a conservation plan approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture. “Farmland restoration and climate resiliency plan” includes agricultural restoration purposes, as defined in § 22-6d, and conservation and restoration plans for leased or franchised shellfish beds.