Connecticut Grown Campaign Has a Fresh New Look
In partnership with: Connecticut Department of Agriculture
From fresh produce, maple syrup and nursery products to seafood, dairy, livestock and more, Connecticut’s agricultural offerings run the gamut and the CT Grown Campaign is supporting across the board.
To better promote those products and support the state’s producers, the Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) refreshed and rebranded the Connecticut Grown program in early 2021. The program’s mission is to bolster local agricultural products by clearly identifying Connecticut-grown and produced goods to consumers. With a new eye-catching logo, easy-to-use website and marketing materials for producers, consumers can easily find produce, goods and even agritourism experiences across the state.
New Look, Same Mission
“The campaign hadn’t really been running for a few years. When I came into office, the plan was to refresh the program to get the campaign going again,” says Commissioner of Agriculture Bryan Hurlburt, who began his tenure in 2019. “We were very intentional during the refresh to make sure none of the agricultural industries were left out.”
He adds that the program itself is so important because it’s a major component of the mission of the CT DoAg.
“Among other things, we have that responsibility to develop and promote the understanding of the diversity of agriculture, its cultural heritage and its contribution to the economy,” he says.
See more: 6 Must-Visit Agritourism Spots in Connecticut
The refresh included reimagining the logo, promoting the campaign through media placements and creating a digital map where consumers can easily find farms across Connecticut. CT DoAg hired an agency that conducted focus groups with producers and consumers to ensure balance within the campaign’s message.
“We wanted the logo to catch a consumer’s eye, but it also had to be something that farmers are proud of and want to put on their products,” Hurlburt says.
A Place for Producers
Jen Halfinger is one of the farmers who proudly displays the Connecticut Grown logo. She and her husband, John, own Halfinger Farms and Dancing Daffodils in Higganum. Halfinger Farms offers greenhouse products, and Jen says their goal is to offer a natural history museum of plants, where customers can not only purchase plants, but see them in every stage of development.
“We grow living art in a way,” she says. “We only sell on our farm and encourage people to come out and learn. We want them to touch, smell and taste the plants.”
In the spring, the Halfingers run Dancing Daffodils on the farm, which is Connecticut’s U-pick daffodil destination.
“Our priorities are family, farm and land, and the Department of Ag is helping our farm make sure we have those priorities in order with Connecticut Grown,” Halfinger says. “The map on the website is very helpful to consumers. I just type in ‘Dancing Daffodils’ and everything pops up. It’s very user-friendly.”
See more: What’s in Season? Connecticut Produce Calendar
Halfinger adds that the CT DoAg has partnered with the Connecticut Office of Tourism as well, which is important since their farm is an experience.
“We’re trying to draw in local customers as well as people from outside the state,” she says. “The CT DoAg and Department of Tourism have the same goals in mind to help people come, enjoy and see our state.”
Awareness Is Key
In Burlington, Rob Lamothe runs Lamothe’s Sugar House, which produces quality maple syrup and other maple products on roughly 360 acres. As a small family farm, Lamothe says Connecticut Grown has helped them tremendously in terms
of advertising and awareness.
“We could never afford any type of mass advertising campaign, but we got on board with Connecticut Grown and have participated in shows and booths hosted by CT DoAg. It’s been great visibility,” he says.
To Lamothe, that visibility is insurmountable. The farm relies mostly on word of mouth. They sell their products on-site, in
some wholesale markets, and offer experiences in the spring where consumers can watch maple syrup being made. Without local awareness and help from CT DoAg, Lamothe says it would be hard to stay in business.
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“We desperately need the local patronage to stay in business. It’s important for consumers to know their farmers, understand what we do and how we comply with the highest safety standards,” he says. “Connecticut has a wealth of farms and CT DoAg has really helped consumers be able to find them more easily.”
Keeping CT Grown at the Forefront
Commissioner Hurlburt plans to continue promoting the campaign for the next several years. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, they saw more Connecticut citizens who were food insecure, enrolling for WIC and SNAP benefits. So, it’s more important than ever that Connecticut Grown and the farm map clearly demonstrate the opportunities available to them to get fresh food while making sure they feel comfortable.
“I think we’re doing a really good job of keeping the level of attention for the campaign high,” Hurlburt says. “We’re directing consumers to our farms and shining a light on our industry.”