Shellfish farmers in the state can now tap into a new federal grant program to access refrigeration units to help directly market their products to customers.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture announced a program with Sea Grant to buy portable refrigeration storage units for shellfish farmers, allowing them to store their catch and sell directly to buyers.
Shellfish farmers can apply by email to: tessa.getchis@uconn.edu and must submit their applications by Nov. 15 at 5 p.m.
“The goal of this proposal is to support the shellfish sector still suffering from the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to position it to be more resilient in the future,” reads a statement.
The portable refrigeration units can be set on the back of a pickup truck and function on 12-volt battery power for use in remote locations, or be plugged into 110-volt power while at a fixed location. The units would be provided on a zero-cost, long-term loan basis.
To get the units, farmers must provide an economic cost-benefit analysis “to inform the rest of the industry on the feasibility of direct sales using such units,” according to the statement.
CT Sea Grant Extension staff will supply farmers with a template and help them complete the analysis.
New Haven County’s shellfish industry is set to expand in coming years with the construction of a new oyster hatchery in Fair Haven.
Copps Island Oysters of Norwalk got approval from New Haven’s planning commission in September to advance its hatchery project, with plans to break ground this spring.
Contact Liese Klein at lklein@newhavenbiz.com.
