News

As a core partner in the ongoing Transition to Organic Partnership Program (TOPP), CT NOFA has provided support to Connecticut farms that are pursuing organic certification. One of the farms that has achieved organic certification with support from the program is Hoadley Hills Farm, the first organically certified livestock farm in Connecticut.

CT NOFA was excited to be joined at our 2026 Winter Conference by John Voket, producer and host of For The People. Join John as he speaks with CT NOFA Executive Director, Jeremy Pelletier, as well as conference exhibitors and attendees about this year's winter conference.

CT NOFA is proud to announce Steve Munno as the 2026 Bill Duesing Organic Living on the Earth awardee. Steve is the Executive Director and Farm Director of the Massaro Community Farm in Woodbridge, Connecticut, and a CT NOFA board member. Steve and Bill developed a close relationship when Steve was new at Massaro Farm in 2009, with Bill becoming a great mentor to him. In addition to his leadership at Massaro Farm, Steve has been a driving force within the Woodbridge community, serving as a member of the Woodbridge Agricultural Commission. His knowledge and expertise in farming and agriculture have been invaluable in shaping the direction of local agricultural policies and practices and have helped ensure that Woodbridge remains a place where agriculture thrives and is sustainable.

This is the time to make your voice heard at the CT General Assembly in support of the CT Environmental Rights Amendment! The public hearing is when the legislators are most likely to be listening to and reading what you have to say, and then what you say goes into the public record!

The Bulk Order, in its previous format, is no longer taking place. The legacy of the Bulk Order continues – not as a one-time order event, but as an ongoing member benefit that supports growers, and grows over time as we add more vendors and wholesale-level access. For 2026, we are connecting members to quality organic growing supplies with a direct-to-consumer purchasing option through our program partners: Progressive Grower and Fedco Seeds.

Representatives Matt Blumenthal and Gregory Haddad, Senator Mae Flexer, Community Members, and Activists Call for the state legislature to pass an Environmental Rights Amendment during the 2026 Legislative Session

On February 20, the Connecticut Appropriations Committee will hold their public hearing on Department of Agriculture funding appropriations. In the previous legislative session, they passed the Farmland Access Grant Program, which aims to help farmers overcome barriers to accessing land and create viable pathways for farm succession. However, there is currently no funding for staff to administer this program, which would effectively render the program non-operational. We urge concerned constituents to contact their state legislators - especially those who legislators also sit on the Appropriations Committee - and ask them to provide funding for these critical staff positions. 

The Seed Swap Table is where conference attendees can exchange seeds and diversify their gardens and farms with unique and regionally adapted varieties. The swap is open to all conference participants, from home gardeners to experienced growers. Participants are invited to bring labeled seeds to share and take home new seeds to try. The swap operates on a trust-based, give-and-take system — bring what you can and take what sparks your interest.

Maya van Rossum, founder and leader of the national movement for Green Amendments to state constitutions across the United States and Delaware Riverkeeper, will be speaking in a series of public town hall events across Connecticut. All of these events are free and open to the public. Light food and refreshments will be provided. Photo identification will be required to enter the Stamford Government Center. Key legislators from each part of the state are invited.

CT NOFA is proud to announce that Jim Riddle will be our 2026 Winter Conference Keynote Speaker. For more than 40 years, Jim Riddle has been a leader in the organic community, as a farmer, inspector, educator, activist, and policy specialist. During our keynote, Jim will discuss the deep roots of the organic movement - what inspired it, how it has evolved, and where it is today - and share scenes from organic farms around the world. Be prepared for an entertaining, enlightening, and thoughtful time, as Jim takes us on a journey through the organic world, near and far.

Each year, at our winter conference, CT NOFA confers the Bill Duesing Organic Living on the Earth award to a notable individual who or group which exemplifies the life mission of our founder, Bill Duesing, to improve and enrich our world through organic advocacy and practices. Nominees for this award are suggested by our community – that’s you!

The CT NOFA Winter Conference educational slate of workshops is made possible thanks to the interest and enthusiasm of our knowledgeable community members. Are you an expert on a topic that would be of interest to conference attendees? We’d love to hear from you.