CT Officials Tout Farm-to-Table Programs To Combat Food Insecurity

NEW HAVEN, CT — New Haven is among several cities across the state taking action against rising food costs and cuts to federal food assistance benefits by creating farm-to-table and community-based solutions.

Farm-to-table programs provide fresh produce [and] fresh food for people who deserve it most, said Gov. Ned Lamont at a recent event including CitySeed, a New Haven-based nonprofit connecting about 60 Connecticut farms to its farmers markets. The state will do whatever it can to aid communities like New Haven that are taking the initiative to address food insecurity, said Lamont.

In response to federal cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, CitySeed received funding from the Emergency State Response Reserve Funds and a grant from the Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s Local Food Purchase Assistance Grant Program to facilitate relationships between local farmers and food pantries.

Lamont met with city officials, CitySeed leaders and students from the nearby John S. Martinez Sea & Sky Magnet School for a tour of the organization’s ’s new property on 162 James St., an area of New Haven reported to have been especially impacted by SNAP benefit cuts.

Chrsitine Kim, who serves on both New Haven’s Board of Alders and CitySeed’s Board of Directors, said the new building would be used to uplift members of the community.

“What we are trying to build here is an opportunity upstream in the food system so that people can generate their own economic health [and] we can help our local farmers,” said Kim.

Local chefs like Kosarachi Okwunna, the owner of Kosy’s African Kitchen in New Haven, use the commercial kitchen to serve affordable and fresh food to the community, said Sarah Miller, CitySeed’s executive director.

“There’s a lot of potential for farm products to enter schools, restaurants [and] food pantries,” said Miller. “With the infrastructure support from the state … we’ve been able to really expand our capacity to offer market opportunities to farmers and to bring them to the city.”

Lamont said the programs were important because, while food insecurity afflicts people everywhere, cities have a tougher time getting fresh produce.

“That’s why programs like CitySeed are so important,” he said.