Part of the mission of Connecticut Farm Bureau is education. The key to building support for agriculture is to inform our marketplace and our elected representatives about the role and importance of agriculture. For our own members, CFBA and county Farm Bureaus seek to offer the support and access to information needed to be operate better farm businesses.

 

CFBA hosted its first statewide conference in spring 2010: Farming and Inland Wetlands Forum--What every Agricultural Producer Needs to Know. More than 150 Farm Bureau members and municipal land use/wetlands agents gathered to hear federal and state specialists on topics such as the Connecticut Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Act,, Agricultural Waste Management, PA490 and the Clean Water Act.

 

With the growing number of farmers markets and value-added agricultural producers, CFBA sought grant support to host a day-long safe food handling practices course at a reduced rate for its members. The county Farm Bureaus, Women's Committee and Young Farmer's Committee all host events throughout the year to inform Connecticut consumers about farm life and local foods and products, and to help fellow Farm Bureau members learn about progressive farming and marketing practices. Most county Farm Bureaus also supports scholarships for college students continuing educational pursuits in agriculture.

 

The need for education never stops. CFBA is proud to be associated with the Connecticut Agriculture Education Foundation (CTAEF) which sponsors initiatives to take agriculture into Connecticut classrooms.