Sec. 22-38. Advertising of Connecticut-Grown farm products. Advertising of locally-grown farm products. Only farm products grown and eggs produced in Connecticut shall be advertised or sold in Connecticut as "Connecticut-Grown". Farm products grown and eggs produced in Connecticut may be advertised or sold in Connecticut as "Native", "Native-Grown", "Local" or "Locally-Grown". Farm products grown and eggs produced within a ten-mile radius of the point of sale for such farm products or eggs may be advertised or sold in Connecticut as "Native", "Native-Grown", "Local", or "Locally-Grown". Any person, firm, partnership or corporation advertising farm products as "Native", "Native-Grown", "Local", "Locally-Grown", or "Connecticut-Grown" shall be required to furnish proof 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. Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be fined not more than twenty-five dollars for each violation.

      (1949 Rev., S. 3076; 1949, S. 1705d; 1959, P.A. 412, S. 13; P.A. 85-204, S. 7, 14; P.A. 92-45, S. 1; P.A. 02-45, S. 1; P.A. 03-161, S. 1; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-109, S. 5; P.A. 04-189, S. 1.)

      History: 1959 act replaced commissioner of agriculture with commissioner of consumer protection; P.A. 85-204 transferred authority from the commissioner of consumer protection to the commissioner of agriculture; P.A. 02-45 replaced "Connecticut-Grown" with "Local, Locally-Grown", replaced "in Connecticut" with "within the specified region" and included provision to allow products produced within a ten-mile radius of where the products are to be sold in the state as "Native", "Native-Grown", "Local", "Locally-Grown" or similar terms, effective July 1, 2002; P.A. 03-161 delineated those farm products and eggs that may be sold or advertised as "Connecticut-Grown" and those farm products and eggs that may be sold as "Native", "Native-Grown", "Local" or "Locally-Grown"; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-109 made technical changes, effective May 21, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004.

      See Sec. 22-44 re terms used to describe eggs.

Sec. 22-38a. Promotion of Connecticut-Grown farm products. Regulations. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall establish and administer a program to promote the marketing of farm products grown and produced in Connecticut for the purpose of encouraging the development of agriculture in the state. The commissioner may, within available appropriations, provide a grant-in-aid to any person, firm, partnership or corporation engaged in the promotion and marketing of such farm products, provided the words "CONNECTICUT-GROWN" or "CT-Grown" are clearly incorporated in such promotional and marketing activities. The commissioner shall (1) provide for the design, plan and implementation of a multiyear, state-wide marketing and advertising campaign, including, but not limited to, television and radio advertisements, promoting the availability of, and advantages of purchasing, Connecticut-grown farm products, (2) establish and continuously update a web site connected with such advertising campaign that includes, but is not limited to, a comprehensive listing of Connecticut farmers' markets, pick-your-own farms, roadside and on-farm markets, farm wineries, garden centers and nurseries selling predominantly Connecticut-grown horticultural products and agri-tourism events and attractions, and (3) conduct efforts to promote interaction and business relationships between farmers and restaurants, grocery stores, institutional cafeterias and other potential institutional purchasers of Connecticut-grown farm products, including, but not limited to, (A) linking farmers and potential purchasers through a separate feature of the web site established pursuant to this section, and (B) organizing state-wide or regional events promoting Connecticut-grown farm products, where farmers and potential institutional customers are invited to participate. The commissioner shall use his best efforts to solicit cooperation and participation from the farm, corporate, retail, wholesale and grocery communities in such advertising, Internet-related and event planning efforts, including, but not limited to, soliciting private sector matching funds. The commissioner shall use all of the funds provided to the Department of Agriculture pursuant to subparagraph (C) of subdivision (4) of section 4-66aa for the purposes of this section. The commissioner shall report annually to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the environment on issues with respect to efforts undertaken pursuant to the requirements of this section, including, but not limited to, the amount of private matching funds received and expended by the department. The commissioner may adopt, in accordance with chapter 54, such regulations as he deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this section.

      (P.A. 86-296, S. 1, 2; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 06-187, S. 65.)

      History: June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner of Agriculture with Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 06-187 added provisions requiring commissioner to provide for the design, plan and implementation of a multiyear, state-wide marketing and advertising campaign promoting the availability and advantages of purchasing Connecticut-grown farm products, effective July 1, 2006.