CHAPTER 422
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

      Sec. 22-6r. Certified farmers' markets. Definitions. Sale of farm products at farmers' kiosks. Sale of fresh produce to food service establishments. (a) For purposes of this section:

      (1) "Farmers' market" means a cooperative or nonprofit enterprise or association that consistently occupies a given site throughout the season, which operates principally as a common marketplace for a group of farmers, at least two of whom are selling Connecticut-grown fresh produce, to sell Connecticut-grown farm products directly to consumers and to sell fresh produce to food service establishments, as defined in section 19-13-B42 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, and where the farm products sold are produced by the participating farmers with the sole intent and purpose of generating a portion of household income;

      (2) "Fresh produce" means fruits and vegetables that have not been processed in any manner;

      (3) "Certified farmers' market" means a farmers' market that is authorized by the commissioner to operate;

      (4) "Farmer's kiosk" means a structure or area located within a certified farmers' market used by a farm business to conduct sales of Connecticut-grown farm products;

      (5) "Connecticut-grown" means produce and other farm products that have a traceable point of origin within Connecticut;

      (6) "Farm" has the meaning ascribed to it in subsection (q) of section 1-1;

      (7) "Farm products" means any fresh fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, nuts, shell eggs, honey or other bee products, maple syrup or maple sugar, flowers, nursery stock and other horticultural commodities, livestock food products, including meat, milk, cheese and other dairy products, food products of "aquaculture", as defined in subsection (q) of section 1-1, including fish, oysters, clams, mussels and other molluscan shellfish taken from the waters of the state or tidal wetlands, products from any tree, vine or plant and their flowers, or any of the products listed in this subdivision that have been processed by the participating farmer, including, but not limited to, baked goods made with farm products.

      (b) A farmer's kiosk at a certified farmers' market shall be considered an extension of the farmer's business and regulations of Connecticut state agencies relating to the sale of farm products on a farm shall govern the sale of farm products at a farmer's kiosk.

      (c) (1) A farmer offering farm products for sale at a certified farmers' market shall obtain and maintain any license required to sell such products.

      (2) A food service establishment, as defined in section 19-13-B42 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, shall request and obtain an invoice from the farmer or person selling fresh produce. The farmer or person selling fresh produce shall provide to the food service establishment an invoice that indicates the source and date of purchase of the fresh produce at the time of the sale.

      (d) Section 22-6g or this section shall not supersede the provisions of any state or local health and safety laws, regulations or ordinances.

      (P.A. 06-52, S. 1; P.A. 07-252, S. 59.)

      History: P.A. 06-52 effective May 8, 2006; P.A. 07-252 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to include sale of fresh produce to food service establishments within definition of "farmers' market", designated existing provisions of Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (c)(1) and added Subsec. (c)(2) to require food service establishments to request and obtain invoice from the farmer or person selling fresh produce that indicates source and date of purchase of the fresh produce at time of sale, effective July 12, 2007.

      Sec. 22-26l. Connecticut Farm Link program. (a) The Department of Agriculture shall establish and administer a Connecticut Farm Link program to establish a database of farmers and agricultural land owners who intend to sell their farm operations or agricultural land. The database shall be maintained by the Department of Agriculture and shall be made available to the public on the department's web site. Persons interested in starting an agricultural business or persons interested in expanding a current agricultural business may notify the department and have their names, contact information and intentions regarding such businesses placed on the web site. The department shall make reasonable efforts to facilitate contact between parties with similar interests, including, but not limited to, growing and processing crops as feedstock for biodiesel heating and transportation fuels.

      (b) The Department of Agriculture shall post educational materials regarding the Connecticut Farm Link program on the department's web site, including, but not limited to, information regarding farm transfer and farm succession planning, family farm estate planning, farm transfer strategies, farm leasing, formation of farm partnerships, growing and processing crops as feedstock for biodiesel heating and transportation fuels and information regarding starting a farm business.

      (P.A. 05-228, S. 4; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3, S. 113; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4, S. 58.)

      History: P.A. 05-228 effective July 1, 2005; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 05-3 changed effective date of P.A. 05-228 to October 1, 2005, effective June 30, 2005; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 07-4 amended Subsecs. (a) and (b) to add references to growing and processing crops as feedstock for biodiesel, effective July 1, 2007.