Gov. M. Jodi Rell today announced $5 million for the preservation of state agricultural land, which is expected to gain approval when the state Bond Commission meets at the end of the month.
“Farmland is irreplaceable,” Rell said. “We continue to do all we can to preserve this precious resource. The goal of the Farmland Preservation Program is to preserve 130,000 acres, and Connecticut is still about 100,000 acres shy of that goal.”
In December, Rell authorized an additional $5 million in bond funds to finance the acquisition of development rights for approximately 10 farms statewide. In recent years, farms in East Windsor, Franklin, North Franklin, Sharon, Suffield and Woodstock have been preserved.
“This industry fuels our economy and keeps some 50,000 jobs here in Connecticut. Our goal is to do all we can to keep this industry healthy and help it to grow jobs.”
