Can renewable energy help struggling Connecticut farmers?

KILLINGWORTH, Conn. (WTNH) — State politicians and federal agriculture leaders were in Connecticut on Tuesday highlighting clean energy investments and grants for local farmers as they face high electricity costs.

Running Brook Farms in Killingworth is a recipient of the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), a United States Department of Agriculture grant program. Site Manager Becky Goetsch said the money they receive from the grant has allowed her farm to function almost entirely off-grid, slashing thousands of dollars in electricity expenses.

“Probably $15- $20,000 a year, which is really significant for our bottom line,” Goetsch said. “These reductions: while they might seem like soft savings, they’re actually critical.”

U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small visited Goetsch’s farm Tuesday, underlining the need for renewable energy investments, like solar panels.

“This great opportunity is for farmers to get a little control back as energy costs increase,” Torres Small said.

It comes as the number of farms in the state continues to dwindle. The most recent USDA census data shows there’s been a loss of about 460 farms between 2017 and 2022. In addition to high electricity costs, Congressman Joe Courtney says finding labor has been a major challenge.

“The average age of a farmer in this country is close to 60 and that trend has been steadily going upwards and we gotta change that,” he said. “A lot of people will say ‘oh it’s not that big of a sector,’ but everybody eats.”

According to Goetsch, the labor shortage is also driving up prices for farm-fresh food.

“We need to make a living wage and we also need to pay living wages, and so there’s no choice but to translate those costs onto the consumer,” she said.

Courtney says federal lawmakers are currently working on a farm bill to attract more young people into the sector. He says it would help by removing barriers to land acquisition while increasing financial supports.

Connecticut Resource Conservation and Development says it also offers additional resources to help farmers of all backgrounds.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTNH.com.