FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 28, 2005

Contact: 

Adam Liegeot
860-524-7313
Adam.Liegeot@ct.gov

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Governor Rell Announces More Than $1.6 Million

for Farmland Preservation

 

Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that $1,647,206 to protect and preserve the development rights of six Connecticut family farms is expected to be approved when the State Bond Commission meets on December 9.  Farms in East Windsor, Franklin, North Franklin, Sharon, Suffield and Woodstock will be preserved.

 

            “I am absolutely committed to preserving the character of our state,” Governor Rell said.  “It is about balancing the need for development - for economic growth, for jobs and for new housing - with the need to safeguard what makes our state a special place to live and raise a family.  Every year we are losing more open space and farmland to housing developments and retail centers.  Connecticut has a rich and proud farm heritage, and today we are making a substantial commitment that ensures these farms are preserved for future generations.

 

“Today we are preserving nearly 600 acres of family farms from Sharon in the northwest to Woodstock in the northeast, and I hope these protective measures send a message to everyone in Connecticut that we are rededicating ourselves those to keeping Connecticut the great state that it is.  At the same time, we are rededicating ourselves to those who will inherit the land from us.  For that, we should all be proud.”

 

The bond allotments for the farms are as follows:

 

    •     $181,935 for the Koziol-Cushman Farm at 120 Kahn Road on Route 87 in Franklin .  The Koziol-Cushman Farm is a 113.6-acre dairy support farm in hay and silage corn owned by Cushman Farms Limited Partnership.  Nate Cushman and the Cushman family helps run the farm.  They have a large dairy farm, milking about 600 cows and manage over 1200 dairy cows. The farm contains a considerable amount of prime and important farmland soils.  The area is in a rural agricultural community and scenic area of the State.  The farm abuts other preserved farms and is part of a block of over 1200 acres of open space and protected farmlands. 

    •    $587,456 for the Four Maples Farm on Amenia Road, Route 41, Sharon .  The Four Maples Farm, owned by James Krissel, is a 173-acre dairy and beef support farm in hay and silage corn production.  It contains a considerable amount of prime and important farmland soils.  The area is in a rural agricultural community and scenic area of the State.  The farm abuts another 78-acre preserved farm and will create a block of over 250 acres of open space and protected farmlands. 

    •    $332,065 for the James Allen Farm on 1175 Copper Hill Road, Suffield : The Allen Farm is a 109.2-acre dairy and support farm in hay and silage corn owned by James Allen.  The acquisition will be a joint partnership between the Town of Suffield and the State.  The farm received a very good evaluation based upon farmland preservation program evaluation scoring regulations. The farm is located in Hartford County, in the West Suffield area of Suffield.  It abuts the State Rail Trail and is surrounded by other farmland and is a very scenic area. 

    •    $203,100 for Grant Farm on 120 Broad Brook Road, East Windsor .  Owned by Philip and Selma Grant, this is a 54-acre dairy support farm in hay and silage corn.

    •    $90,280 for the Sawicky Farm on North Road, Route 187, North Franklin .  This is a 53-acre alfalfa farm owned by William Sawicky and William Sawicky, Jr.

    •    $252,370 for the Valley (Eddy) Farm on Woodstock and Dugg Hill Roads in Woodstock .  This is an 89-acre dairy support farm owned by the Trust for Public Lands and Timothy and Susan Eddy.

 

This funding will be used to purchase the development rights to the farms – placing a permanent restriction on the use of the land.  The land can never be used for non-agricultural purposes.  These farms will now stay under private ownership and continue to pay local property taxes.