NORTHFORD, CT — Connecticut farmers who lost crops to severe weather in 2023 and 2024 will share $52.9 million in federal disaster relief, with payments expected to go out this fall. State officials announced the block grant at a Northford farm on Friday, saying the money is intended to help producers recover from losses tied to frost, flooding, hail and drought. The aid follows months of lobbying by a local farmer who said the delay left growers waiting through two growing seasons for help.
How the aid came together
The federal money is tied to the efforts of William Dellacamera, owner of Cecarelli’s Harrison Hill Farm, after he drove a tractor to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., to press for disaster assistance. Dellacamera said he was motivated in part by a severe 13-minute hailstorm in August 2024 that damaged his own farm. At Friday’s announcement, he said Connecticut farmers should not have to wait nearly two years for relief after a disaster.
He said crop losses do not stop while the government process moves forward, noting that employees, loan payments and utility bills continue to come due. His remarks reflected frustration shared by many growers who have faced repeated weather-related damage since 2023.
DeLauro backs relief
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said the block grant was passed by Congress and credited farmers for pushing the issue forward. Speaking at the farm, she said the experience shows government can respond when people keep pressing for action. DeLauro pointed to Dellacamera’s effort and the work of other farmers as evidence that persistence can lead to results.
Her comments came as state and federal officials framed the aid as a long-awaited response to farm losses that accumulated over two difficult years. The grant is meant to help stabilize operations that were hit by a string of weather events rather than a single isolated storm.
State plans application process
State Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt said the application period will open in early fall. He said officials know farmers have waited too long for the assistance to reach them and want to move quickly once the process begins. The state plans to distribute the money this fall, and Hurlburt said the goal is to get payments out promptly after applications are reviewed.
Farmers must show at least $500 in documented losses from severe weather in 2023 and 2024 to qualify. Officials said they expect the aid to reach growers who can verify crop damage and related losses through the state’s process.
Losses reached millions
More than 200 Connecticut farmers reported losses totaling more than $72 million over the two-year period, according to state officials. The damage came from several weather events, including late frost and freeze conditions, flooding in the Connecticut River Valley and western Connecticut, hail and drought. The state’s figures show the scale of the hardship behind the relief package and why officials have described the grant as significant for the farm economy.
For farmers affected by repeated extreme weather, the aid is expected to provide a measure of recovery after a period of widespread damage. Officials said the focus now is on getting the application system ready so payments can move without more delay.
