The Hartford Regional Market will use a $376,000 federal grant to add a kitchen and food processing center for farmers to prepare products for sale and consumption, Gov. Dannel Malloy’s office announced.
The state operates the 101 Reserve Road market as a nonprofit venture. It employs more than 400 people and provides a central location for Connecticut farmers to sell their food and products.
“Not only will it extend farmer income to a full 12 months a year through products with a longer shelf life, it will enable farmers to sell a larger percentage of their crop,” Steven K. Reviczky, the state’s agriculture commissioner said in a statement. “Instead of those tomatoes with minor blemishes ending up on the compost pile, they can be made into tomato sauce, salsa, soup, or seasoning mixes.”
In April, the State Bond Commission voted to approve $400,000 for roof repairs at the market.
The USDA Specialty Crop Block grant will also fund projects and partnerships with the Connecticut Apple Marketing Board, the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station and UConn’s College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
