NORTHEASTERN ASSOCIATION OF STATE

The Northeastern Association of State Departments of Agriculture convenes the following 10 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Connecticut Department Of Agriculture

Connecticut Farm Wineries Launches 2023 Passport Program

The Passport to Connecticut Wine Country, which runs through December 31, 2023, encourages consumers to engage with the state’s more than 45 farm wineries — 38 of which participate in the passport program. Available as a user-friendly mobile app available on most devices, search CT Wine Passport to download from the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

“The Passport to Connecticut Wine Country program offers yet another way consumers can explore our great state while engaging with award-winning farm wineries,” said Connecticut Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt. “We encourage residents and visitors to download the app, CT Wine Passport, plan their trips with friends and family, and start their journey to collecting stamps while making lasting memories and supporting local Connecticut businesses along the way.”

In 2022, the first year of the mobile app, more than 22,700 winery visits were recorded with over 8,500 users downloading the app. At each winery location, participants can collect a digital stamp which equals one point towards a reward level. Upon reaching a prize level, those points can be redeemed which enters the participant into a prize drawing.

In 2023, more than 100 prizes will be available, valued at more than $10,000 total, as visitors explore Connecticut Wine Country. There are three tiers of awards – Taster (12 or more stamps), Sommelier (18 or more stamps), and Winemaker (35 or more stamps). Participants who visit all 38 participating farm wineries will also be eligible for a commemorative gift, up to 50 names will be drawn at random to recognize their support of Connecticut’s farm wineries.

For those who have traveled the state visiting farm wineries in the past, they will have the chance to visit perennial favorites along with two new wineries this year. Joining the Passport program are Worthington Vineyards in Somers and Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard in North Stonington. Worthington Vineyards was founded in 2000 and officially opened their tasting room, located in the Worthington’s Warming House, in 2022. Visitors will enjoy their more than 20 meticulously kept gardens while they enjoy an afternoon picnic with wine. Kingdom of the Hawk Vineyard, purchased in 2018, is situated on 50 acres atop a hill provides sprawling views of vines, forest, and wildlife. A sister property to Saltwater Farm Vineyard, their tasting room will be opening soon.

For more information about Connecticut Farm Wineries or the Passport to Connecticut Wine Country, visit their website at ctwinecountry.com.

New Jersey Department Of Agriculture

2023 Spotted Lanternfly Treatment Funding For New Jersey Counties, Municipalities

The New Jersey Department of Agriculture is making grant funds available to counties and municipalities to battle the spotted lanternfly (SLF). Interested counties and municipalities may apply to receive funds from the Department. The Legislature has provided funding to the Department to reduce SLF populations and minimize their spread. As you may be aware, SLF is both a nuisance and an economic pest. Both federal and state staff are doing their best to reduce populations but in doing so we will need additional assistance and support from other stakeholders to make a difference. The Department has appropriated $4.9 Million for this grant program. A total of up to $50,000 per county, and up to $15,000 per municipality, subject to the availability of funds, to be encumbered on a first-come, first-served basis, will be provided to reimburse for eligible costs incurred for SLF chemical treatment activities.

In addition to this program, home and business owners can go to www.badbug.nj.gov to find information that includes a timeline for the stages of growth for the insect as well as treatment options. Along with the listed treatment options, residents and businesses can also use licensed pesticide applicators to provide treatments to kill the spotted lanternfly.

The Department asks people to check their vehicles whenever possible before leaving an area to make sure the pest is not coming along for the ride.

For more information visit https://www.nj.gov/agriculture/ news/hottopics/approved/topics220413.html

Maine Department Of Agriculture

Maine Agriculture Commissioner Elected President of NEASDA

At the 2023 Northeastern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NEASDA) Regional Meeting on June 7, held in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, Amanda Beal, the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF), was elected to serve a one-year term as NEASDA President.

NEASDA is a regional association that brings together the Commissioners, Secretaries, and Directors of Agriculture from ten states in the Northeastern region: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. NEASDA plays a vital role in influencing agricultural policies and fostering collaboration among states, federal entities, and other stakeholders. NEASDA is a regional association of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA), founded in 1916. Commissioner Beal also serves on the NASDA Board of Directors.

As President of NEASDA, Commissioner Beal will leverage her deep agriculture and policy experience and collaborative leadership style to address the evolving challenges and opportunities faced by the Northeastern agricultural community in support of a more vibrant sector.

The annual NEASDA Regional Meeting is a cornerstone event, fostering dialogue and collaboration among member states and other stakeholders. The conference covers various topics, including labor, trade, farmland protection, food safety, climate change, and food security. The regional gatherings include educational tours of local agricultural businesses, showcasing the region’s vibrant farming and food production landscape. As President, Commissioner Beal and DACF will host the Regional Meeting in Maine in June of 2024, which will provide an opportunity to spotlight Maine agricultural businesses and initiatives underway to support their success.

Beal was also re-elected on that Wednesday to serve a second one-year term as Board President of Food Export–Northeast, a non-profit organization created in 1973 as a cooperative effort between ten Northeastern state agricultural promotion agencies and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service.