Dear Neighbors,

At the beginning of August, we celebrated National Farmers Market week, a perfect reminder of the important role agriculture plays in Connecticut. Our state is home to roughly 5,000 farms which contribute $4 billion to our economy and support over 30,000 jobs.

I was happy to see that during the legislative session that ended in June, two bills were passed to strengthen Connecticut’s agriculture sector:

• The CT Farm Bill offers tax credits to farmers who invest in machinery, equipment and buildings. It also creates a crop loss grant program to reimburse farmers for crop losses from major weather events.
• Public Act 24-141 creates a new land grant program to make it easier for farmers to purchase land for preservation.

These initiatives make it easier for farmers to access land and invest in the resources they need to run their businesses and are important to promoting and maintaining an industry critical to our state.

From aquaculture, to meat and dairy, beer, produce and fruit, Connecticut has a rich history of farming which can be experienced at any of the many farmers markets throughout the state. Here’s a link to farmers markets in Connecticut.

I encourage you to visit one and support our local farmers!

My best regards,

Lowering your electric bills

Many residents were stunned by last summer’s electric bills, especially by the spike in the “public benefits” portion of the bill. The increase was driven by three major factors:

1. Unusually hot weather: Summer 2024 was very hot, which led to higher energy use;
2. The Millstone Agreement:This bipartisan deal saved the Millstone Nuclear Power Station from shutting down. This agreement protected thousands of jobs and shored up the state’s carbon-free, zero-emission energy resources that supply half of CT’s energy including 2 million homes. The agreement requires companies like Eversource and United Illuminating to purchase half of Millstone’s output through 2029. The fluctuating costs of natural gas mean that sometimes we pay less for nuclear energy and sometimes we pay more. At the hottest time of the year, natural gas is priced lower than nuclear energy and we saw higher costs due to this confluence of events:
3. Short repayment window: Two of the three PURA commissioners yielded to Eversource’s demands to be immediately compensated for pandemic-related programs. Had the commissioners voted to spread the payments to Eversource over 22 months instead of 10, it would have sharply reduced the rate shock.  

But help is on the way. I’m happy to report that on August 1st, the CT State Bond Commission voted to release $155 million in state bond funding that will be used to offset public benefits charges on our electric bills. It’s a win for us all. And, in more good news, electric rates this year are already about 13-14% lower than last year’s.

Upcoming Events:

Seniors' Farmers Market Nutrition Program

Greenwich Foodshed Alliance is working with Jewish Family Services Greenwich (JFSG) to implement the Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program in Greenwich. JFSG is serving as an ‘Issuance Partner’ — this is an exciting step towards equitable access to local produce in the Greenwich community! 

The program runs from June 1st to November 30th. Benefits can be redeemed at Connecticut farmers’ markets (including Greenwich and Old Greenwich) and select farmstands throughout the state. 

The Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) is designed to:

• Provide low-income seniors with access to locally grown fruits, vegetables, honey and herbs.
• Increase the domestic consumption of agricultural commodities through farmers' markets, roadside stands, and community supported agricultural programs.
• Aid in the development of new and additional farmers markets and roadside stands.

Cards are still available. If you are interested in learning more please reach out to: ganderson@jfsgreenwich.org. 

Greenwich DHS Fund

Boots & Shoes Program

The Greenwich Department of Human Services Fund (GDHS Fund) is beginning its fundraising campaign for the 2025 Boots & Shoes program that provides $50 DSW gift cards to children between the ages of 5 and 15 from low-income Greenwich families. The GDHS Fund needs to raise money over the next two months to support this program. Then the gift cards will be distributed in late August to the families in need, in time for back to school shopping, ensuring that every child can start the school year with confidence rather than worry about their shoes. You can donate here.

WBDC Ignite Grant

The Women's Business Development Council (WBDC) is launching the next round of their Ignite Grant Program, opening August 5th, 2025! The deadline to apply is September 16th, 2025.

The Ignite Grant Program is designed to help women-owned businesses grow. The program offers grants of up to $10,000 to women-owned businesses in the state of Connecticut who have been in business for 2 or more years and have revenues between $25K and $2 million.  

Starting August 5th, WBDC will hold one-hour informational webinars each week throughout August and September to assist prospective applicants with their applications before submitting. Class Listings.