CT farmer travels by tractor, seeking more federal and state help for small farms

One small farmer is rallying his community and seeking more federal and state support for small agriculture.

So, if you see a tractor on the road this week, it belongs to William Dellacamera of Cecarelli’s Harrison Hill Farm.

“Small famers like myself are the backbone of America and we aren’t getting what we need for support,” Dellacamera said.

He’s travelling in his tractor to dozens of towns in every corner of the state with the hope that farmers and community members will join him in asking for more federal and state support.

His journey comes as flooding and other storms impacted agriculture this summer and last. At his farm alone, he said he lost thousands of dollars’ worth of crops from a hailstorm last month.

Dellacamera and his supporters are signing petitions saying they are seeking faster response and financial turnaround, and more small farm support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

“We all had the same story – that the federal programs let us down, that the state isn’t doing enough to help us,” Dellacamera said.

On Tuesday, he stopped by B&B Farms in West Haven so farmer Bob Newkirk could sign.

“A farmer’s famous motto is there’s always next year. But, a lot of us are running out of years and running out of hope,” Newkirk said. “You can’t regain these losses and as I put on the wagon, once these farms are gone what are you going to do?”

In response to these petitions, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-Connecticut) tells NBC Connecticut:

“Extreme storms have decimated Connecticut farms and we need a stronger safety net to support our hardworking farmers as they confront these increasingly intense weather events. I have visited with many farmers, including William Dellacamera, over the last few weeks who have lost their crops and I heard them loud and clear — they need stronger federal support. My Save Our Small Farms Act would make it easier for farmers to access disaster assistance programs and make crop insurance more affordable so that they are well protected when disaster strikes.”

Department of Agriculture Commissioner Bryan Hurlburt echoes a similar sentiment, saying:

“Following the severe floods in the Connecticut River Valley last year, Connecticut Department of Agriculture met with the federal delegation, touring impacted farms, and holding listening sessions to understand the challenges Connecticut’s agricultural producers face with the federal crop insurance programs currently available. The congressional delegation acknowledged that the federal programs need reform and announced the Save our Small (SOS) Farms Act of 2024 in June. This legislation would improve access to disaster assistance programs available to farms and crop insurance for small-sized farms. At the state level, public act 22-128 allocated $14 million to CT DoAg to invest in climate smart farming practices and long-term climate resiliency projects. The implementation of sustainable farming practices will decrease vulnerability to extreme weather events and position Connecticut’s farmers to be part of the climate change solution.”

Dellacamera will be heading to Washington, D.C. in his tractor on Friday, with plans to make stops along the way.

The USDA issued a statement, saying in part:

“For the past several years, Secretary Vilsack has frequently echoed the need for U.S. agriculture policy to better serve smaller-sized farms, and he’s directed USDA to make sure our programs are doing just that…USDA is deeply committed to supporting producers through challenging times, especially in the face of increasing natural disasters, and that’s why we always encourage producers to contact their local USDA Service Center to report losses and get assistance. We have a number of disaster programs specifically designed for farmers, and can work with them individually on their unique circumstances. Over the past couple of years, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) has embarked on a comprehensive and systemic effort to ensure equitable delivery of Farm Loan Programs and to improve access to credit for all borrowers. This includes through FSA’s new farm loan rule, which provides additional flexibilities for producers in accessing emergency loans. Additionally, USDA has been working to expand crop insurance options for specialty growers. In 2023, the Risk Management Agency (RMA) helped provide the largest farm safety net in history, a record $207 billion in protection for American agriculture, while at the same time is introducing new programs to support specialty crops.

For the last four years, USDA has also focused on creating more opportunities and generating more income for small- and mid-sized farmers, including by investing in climate-smart agriculture, increased processing capacity, local and regional food systems, and innovation in agriculture. As just a few examples, in Connecticut, the Biden-Harris Administration has invested nearly $8 million to help farms and small businesses invest in cost-saving or revenue-generating renewable energy sources, $2.1 million in debt relief to help farmers in financial distress stay on their land, $2.9 million to support climate-smart agriculture, and nearly $230,000 to support high blend biofuels pumps to create additional market opportunities for farmers.”