Community Corner
State Cracking Down on Connecticut Grown Violators
The Department of Agriculture will be conducting unannounced inspections at farmers' markets and other sales venues this summer.
The state Department of Agriculture will conduct unannounced inspections at farmers’ markets and other sales venues this summer to make sure that the 'Connecticut Grown' slogan, logo, and label are being used properly by vendors.
Connecticut Agriculture Commissioner Steven K. Reviczky announced recently that the department has ramped up inspection and enforcement concerning the use of the Connecticut Grown slogan, logo, and label.
"It is essential that consumers who purchase agricultural products labeled ‘Connecticut Grown’ be confident those products were, in fact, grown and produced here in Connecticut,” said Reviczky in a press release. "It is also critical that products marked ‘local,’ and/or ‘native’ are what their sellers claim them to be. Connecticut laws are very clear about the definition of these terms with respect to farm products.”
In addition to the inspections, the department will also investigate complaints alleging inappropriate marketing of local farm products.
Connecticut General Statutes Section 22-38 states that "Any person, firm, partnership or corporation advertising farm products as ‘Native,’ ‘Native-Grown,’ ‘Local,’ ‘Locally-Grown’, or ‘Connecticut-Grown’ shall be required to furnish written proof within ten days of the sale of such products that such products were grown or produced in Connecticut or within a ten-mile radius of the point of sale, as applicable, if requested to do so by the Commissioner of Agriculture or said commissioner’s designee.”
The law establishes a fine of not more than $25 for each product label in violation, and the state departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection have authority to impose additional penalties. The Connecticut Weekly Agricultural Report announcement cites a 2005 case in which a company paid the state $70,075 for falsely using the Connecticut Grown logo on its egg cartons and deceptively using the word “farm” in its trade name.
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"While we do not believe misuse of the Connecticut Grown label is widespread, we recognize that trust is quickly damaged in the rare instances it does occur. Strict protection of the Connecticut Grown brand protects not only consumers seeking out local foods and other agricultural products, but also the thousands of honest farm families in Connecticut working long, hard hours each day to produce those items."
Anyone with information about what they believe to be misuse of the Connecticut Grown label can file a complaint with the Department of Agriculture by calling 860-713-2508.
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