One Week Left: Apply for the CT Farm Recovery & Support Block Grant by October 7

Round 1 applications for the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s (CT DoAg) Connecticut Farm Recovery & Support Block Grant Program (CT FRSBG) close in one week. The program provides direct payments to Connecticut producers who suffered crop, infrastructure, or multi-year (future economic) losses as a result of severe weather in 2023 and/or 2024.

Round 1 applications must be submitted by Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 11:59 PM ET. If you haven’t applied yet — or you started an application and saved it as a draft — now is the time to finish and submit.

Who may be eligible

• You are a Connecticut agricultural producer (a farm from which $1,000 or more of agricultural products were, or normally would have been, produced and sold).
• You experienced a loss from a 2023 and/or 2024 weather event — such as frost/freeze, flooding, hail, drought, or excessive moisture.
• Your loss falls into one of three categories: Crop Loss, Infrastructure Loss, or Future Economic Loss (perennial/multi-year crops).
• Your loss is at least $500 in a given category and year.

Apply before the deadline

Applications are submitted through the online portal. If you haven’t started yet, gather:

• Recent tax records — IRS Schedule F (Form 1040) or equivalent, and a completed W-9.
• Your FSA Farm Number, if you have one.
• Documentation of your loss — photos of damage, insurance settlements, and receipts, invoices, or repair estimates.
• A list of your farm/operating locations and the specific crops or structures affected.
• Crop-loss applicants: your completed Applicant AGR Estimate Worksheet.

Before you hit Submit

• A saved draft is not a submitted application. If you started an application, log back in, finish it, and select Apply to submit.
• Look for your confirmation. After you submit, you’ll see a confirmation screen and receive an email from notifications@email.submittable.com — safelist this address so it doesn’t go to spam.
• Review before you submit. Edits are not allowed after an application is submitted.
• One application per farm (EIN/SSN). Include all of your eligible losses in a single application.
• Have a smartphone or webcam ready for identity verification (a photo of your government-issued ID and a real-time selfie).

What happens after October 7

No new applications will be accepted after the Round 1 deadline. If your application needs more documentation, you will receive a Request for Information (RFI) through the application system. Tuesday, October 13, 2026, is the final date to respond to RFIs. Please check your email regularly.

Already submitted? If you have not received an RFI, no additional action is required. You will receive notifications through the application system if an RFI is needed or when your payment is approved.

Check the updated FAQs

CT DoAg has updated the program’s Frequently Asked Questions page with new information. Before you submit, take a few minutes to review it: https://portal.ct.gov/doag/adarc/adarc/disaster-relief-resources/farm-recovery-and-support-block-grant-program/frequently-asked-questions. Recent topics include:

• Localized weather events may qualify — a federal disaster declaration is not required.
• This is a grant, not a loan — payments do not need to be repaid when the information you certify is accurate and you follow program requirements.
• Taxes — payments are reported to the IRS; CT DoAg cannot give tax advice, so talk with a tax professional.
• Categories not yet open — Timber Loss, Bare-Ground Practices, and Other Infrastructure are not currently active. A short survey in the application helps CT DoAg gauge need.

Learn more

Program details, worksheets, and how-to videos are available at https://portal.ct.gov/doag/adarc/adarc/disaster-relief-resources/farm-recovery-and-support-block-grant-program.

As a program outreach partner, Dom Piccini (Director of Agriculture Programs) can help you finish and submit your application before the deadline. Contact Dom at dpiccini@ctfoodshare.org or 860-856-4314.

This program is administered by the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. Submission of an application does not guarantee eligibility, approval, or funding.