Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station in New Haven Threatened with Closing

Today's New Haven Register carries an article on the State's proposal to close the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, located in New Haven near Science Park.

According to local advocates, closing the Ag Station would be a real blow to public health and agricultural security, and to the state's economy as a whole. As Nancy Alderman of Environment and Human Health, Inc. writes:

The Ag Station is the only entity in the state that tests for West Nile Virus and all forms of mosquito bourne encephalitis diseases. They also do tick management - and heavens knows we are loaded with tick bourne diseases in this state.

They are the only entity that tests our imported food for levels of pesticides. The Ag Station found tooth paste laced with anti-freeze last year and sounded the alarm. They are the only inspectors and certifiers for farmers' produce -- and without them --- farmers will not be able to export their products out of state. That will cost the farmers and the state.

Shutting down the Ag Station will have serious ramifications for health in this state.

Here is what people can do:

Please consider writing to your representatives, the governor, and the Ben Barnes of the State Office of Planning and Management (OPM) who proposed closing the station:

Ben.Barnes@ct.gov.

governor.malloy@ct.gov

To find your Senator or Representative, see:

http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/menu/CGAFindLeg.asp

Two documents which stress the accomplishments and value of the Experiment Station have been posted on the CT chapter of the Northeast Organic Farmer's Association. They can be found here and here. The Ag station is also an important part of New Haven's cultural landscape -- it is within the Ronan-Edgehill National Register District.