'Connecticut Grown' label expands its reach

Gov. M. Jodi Rell has announced that goods such as furniture, flooring, lumber and fencing made from wood harvested in Connecticut forests will now bear the popular “Connecticut Grown” marketing label, shown at right, according to a statement.

“Expanding the ‘Connecticut Grown’ label to forestry products makes absolute sense and will give these products a stronger presence in the marketplace,” Rell said, also in the statement. “This initiative will appeal to the growing number of consumers who choose to buy locally grown materials and be a boost for our forest products industry and the jobs it creates.”

“We can all take great pride in our homegrown products and the responsible management of the land. Caring correctly for our renewable, natural resources ultimately allow us to reduce our carbon footprint,” Rell said in the statement.

"The Connecticut Grown Program was developed in 1986, when the green and blue logo was created to identify agricultural products grown in the state. Over the past two decades, a strong marketing and outreach effort has established Connecticut Grown as a well-known and popular program," the statement said.

Department of Agriculture Commissioner F. Philip Prelli praised the expansion of the program, which has helped widely promote and grow the state’s farming economy.


“The wood industry is not only an important component to our working woodlands, it is a valuable resource that our citizens utilize on a daily basis and the sustainability of this resource is what our CT Grown program is all about,” Prelli said in the statement. “The proper maintenance of our forests provides a continuing agricultural product in our wood.”

Expansion of the Connecticut Grown program to include products from Connecticut forests is the result of an agreement between DEP and DOA, the statement said. "To be given permission to attach the Connecticut Grown labeling to their products, companies must first participate in a rigorous certification process to ensure that the Connecticut Grown label is only used on forestry products made from Connecticut lumber, similar to what exists for agricultural products," it said.

Editor's note: The information in this post was provided wholly by the state of Connecticut. It is shared here as a public service only and not as advocacy.