HB 6385 Summary

• Establishes the Connecticut Farmers' Market/Senior Nutrition Program providing vouchers worth at least $20 to seniors aged 60+ for purchasing Connecticut-grown fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, and chicken eggs) at designated farmers' markets.

• Defines "Connecticut-Grown" and "CT-Grown" labeling standards requiring farm products to have traceable origin within Connecticut, with violations subject to fines up to $100 per product label.

• Requires sellers of Connecticut-grown farm products at farmers' markets to display visible signs (at least 3x5 inches) identifying the product as Connecticut-grown and naming the grower or business, with first violations receiving warnings and subsequent violations fined $100 each.

• Extends vendor certification validity from one year to three years and removes limits on the number of vendors who can become certified for the Connecticut Farmers' Market/WIC program.

• Establishes a farm viability matching grant program administered by the Department of Agriculture supporting agricultural nonprofits, municipalities, and regional entities for capital projects, land use regulations, marketing programs, and urban/nontraditional farming practices.