Title 22 — Title 22: Agriculture. Domestic Animals

Sec. 22-1. Department of Agriculture. There shall be a state Department of Agriculture, consisting of a Commissioner of Agriculture and, subject to the provisions of chapter 67, such employees as may be necessary for the performance of the duties required by the general statutes.…

Sec. 22-10. Reports of moneys expended. Any person who receives money from the state for the purpose of promoting the increase of agricultural products or of domestic animals and products thereof shall, on or before the fifteenth day of November of each year in which such money w…

Sec. 22-11. Promotion of agricultural interests. Any corporation or association organized in any county to provide instruction and practical demonstration in agriculture and home economics, to promote advanced business methods among farmers or to assist in any manner in the devel…

Sec. 22-11a. “Integrated pest management” defined. As used in sections 22-11b and 22-84a, “integrated pest management” means a comprehensive strategy of pest control whose major objective is to maintain high crop quality with a minimum use of pesticides and includes, but is not l…

Sec. 22-11b. Duties of The University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Service re integrated pest management. (a) Within available appropriations, The University of Connecticut Cooperative Extension Service shall develop and implement (1) nonagricultural integrated pest manag…

Sec. 22-11c. Aquaculture development: Definitions. (a) As used in sections 22-11d to 22-11f, inclusive, “aquaculture” means the controlled rearing, cultivation and harvest of aquatic plants and animals in land-based and marine-based culture systems, tanks, containers, impoundment…

Sec. 22-11d. Aquaculture development: Lead agency. The Department of Agriculture shall be the lead agency for aquaculture development in this state. The department shall: (1) Coordinate the activities of other state agencies with regard to aquaculture; (2) act as a liaison betwee…

Sec. 22-11e. Interagency Aquaculture Coordinating Committee. Section 22-11e is repealed, effective May 23, 2022. (P.A. 94-227, S. 4; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e), (f); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 13-5, S. 28; P.A. 22-54, S. 7.)

Sec. 22-11f. Licensing of aquaculture operation. Regulations. Control of importation and cultivation of nonnative plants or animals. The Department of Agriculture, after consultation with the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, shall adopt regulations, in accordanc…

Sec. 22-11g. Releases from aquaculture systems. No person may release water, plants, animals or other material from any land-based or marine-based aquaculture systems, including, but not limited to, tanks, containers, impoundments or ponds, unless such person first provides notic…

Sec. 22-11h. Permits for aquaculture operations. Exemptions from environmental protection programs. General permits. (a) The Department of Agriculture shall have exclusive authority for granting or denying aquaculture permits, except for matters specifically concerning water disc…

Sec. 22-11i. Licensing of aquaculture producers. Regulations. (a) As used in this section: (1) “Aquaculture producer” means any person who engages in the controlled rearing, cultivation and harvesting of aquatic animals or plants in land-based or marine-based culture systems, tan…

Sec. 22-11j. Planting and cultivating seaweed. License. Requirements. Renewal. Prohibition on interference with right of fishing or shellfishing. Interference with seaweed license. Penalties. Regulations. (a) The Commissioner of Agriculture may issue a nontransferable license, in…

Sec. 22-11k. Ninety-day aquaculture permit application final determinations. The Department of Agriculture shall review and make a final determination on each aquaculture permit application not later than ninety days after receipt of such application. Following such ninety-day pe…

Sec. 22-12. Appropriations for promotion of agricultural interests. The annual appropriation for the promotion of agricultural interests shall be ten thousand dollars per county. These funds shall be distributed by the Agricultural Extension Service of The University of Connectic…

Sec. 22-12a. Use of term “Connecticut State Fair”. No person, firm, corporation or association, other than an agency or instrumentality of the state, shall use the words “Connecticut State Fair” in relation to any fair, exhibition or entertainment without the written consent of t…

Sec. 22-12b. (Formerly Sec. 26-41). Licensing of fur breeders. Disease control. The breeding and raising in captivity of foxes, mink, chinchilla, marten, fisher, nutria and muskrat, and the marketing of such animals, shall be classified as farming and as an agricultural pursuit a…

Sec. 22-13. Employment of minors in agriculture. No minor under fourteen years of age shall be employed or be permitted to work in agriculture. No minor fourteen or fifteen years of age shall be employed in any agricultural occupation for more than six days a week, or for more th…

Sec. 22-14. Birth certificate or agricultural work permit required. No minor under sixteen years of age shall be employed or permitted to work, when school is not in session, in any agricultural occupation unless the employer of such minor has received a birth certificate, an agr…

Sec. 22-15. Administration. Regulations. Inspection. The Labor Commissioner shall have charge of the administration of sections 22-13 to 22-17, inclusive. The commissioner shall establish regulations and standards for the administration of said sections necessary to the health an…

Sec. 22-16. Employer of more than fifteen affected. The provisions of sections 22-13 to 22-17, inclusive, shall apply during any calendar week to any employer whose average number of employees during that week is more than fifteen. Said provisions shall not apply to work performe…

Sec. 22-17. Penalty. Any person, including a parent or guardian, whether acting for himself or as agent for another, who employs or authorizes or permits to be employed any minor in violation of sections 22-13 to 22-16, inclusive, shall be fined, for a first violation, not more t…

Sec. 22-17a. Sanitary regulations concerning agricultural workers. The Labor Commissioner may make regulations and establish standards as to living quarters furnished by a farm operator to agricultural workers and to migratory farm laborers to insure their adequacy as to sanitati…

Secs. 22-18 to 22-26. Farmers' loans, generally. Obsolete. (September, 1957, P.A. 15, S. 1–9; March, 1958, P.A. 19, S. 1, 2; 1961, P.A. 23.)

Secs. 22-1a and 22-1b. Commissioner, department and council, general terminology change. Sections 22-1a and 22-1b are repealed. (1959, P.A. 637, S. 2–5; 1961, P.A. 39, S. 2; 67; 217; February, 1965, P.A. 24, S. 1; 1967, P.A. 94, S. 1; 1971, P.A. 872, S. 154.)

Sec. 22-1c. Terminology change. As used in the general statutes, the terms “Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources”, and “Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources” and “commissioner” and “department”, when used in reference thereto, mean the Commissioner of Agri…

Sec. 22-2. Board of Agriculture. Section 22-2 is repealed. (1953, S. 1692d; 1967, P.A. 269; P.A. 76-261, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-614, S. 609, 610.)

Sec. 22-26a. Equine Advisory Council. Members. Section 22-26a is repealed. (P.A. 73-547, S. 1–3; P.A. 77-614, S. 609, 610.)

Sec. 22-26b. Agreement with landowner enrolled in federal Dairy Termination Program. Section 22-26b is repealed, effective October 1, 1997. (P.A. 86-356, S. 1, 3; P.A. 97-234, S. 11.)

Sec. 22-26c. Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council. (a) There shall be a Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council which shall be within the Department of Agriculture for administrative purposes only. Said council shall consist of thirteen members as follows: The Commissioner…

Sec. 22-26d. Purposes. The purposes of the council are to promote state wines and related products by (1) engaging in activities to maintain current markets and create new and foreign markets; (2) advising groups on farm wine development, including, but not limited to, the Depart…

Sec. 22-26e. Governor's Council for Agricultural Development and Innovation. (a) There is hereby established a Governor's Council for Agricultural Development and Innovation within the Department of Agriculture for administrative purposes only, consisting of the following members…

Sec. 22-26f. State Veterinarian. (a) There shall be a State Veterinarian who shall be an employee of the Department of Agriculture and shall serve as the state animal health official for the state. The Commissioner of Agriculture may designate one or more veterinarians to exercis…

Sec. 22-26g. Noise-making devices used in agriculture to repel wildlife. Permits. Operation. Municipal resolution re undue hardship. Best practical use procedure. Violation. Warning. Revocation. Appeal. Fine. (a) No person may use any noise-making device to scare or repel wildlif…

Sec. 22-26h. Agricultural technology development. Advisory board. Responsibilities of commissioner. Section 22-26h is repealed, effective June 8, 2004. (P.A. 94-133, S. 1, 2; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6; P.A. 99-110, S. 5; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S 146(e); P.A…

Sec. 22-26i. Maintenance, repair and improvement account. (a) There is established a separate, nonlapsing account, within the General Fund, known as the maintenance, repair and improvement account. All moneys collected from any rent paid by any person occupying or otherwise using…

Sec. 22-26j. Agricultural enhancement matching grant program. Eligibility. Purposes. The Department of Agriculture shall establish and administer an agricultural enhancement matching grant program to any agricultural not-for-profit organization, municipality, group of municipalit…

Sec. 22-26k. Farm transition grant program. Matching grants. (a) There is established a farm transition grant program which shall be administered by the Department of Agriculture. Matching grants shall be made to farmers and agricultural cooperatives for diversification of existi…

Sec. 22-26l. Connecticut Farm Link program. (a) The Department of Agriculture shall establish and administer a Connecticut Farm Link program to establish a database of farmers and agricultural land owners who intend to sell, lease or otherwise transfer their farm operations or ag…

Secs. 22-26m to 22-26z. Reserved for future use.

Sec. 22-3. Duties of commissioner. Preservation of Connecticut agricultural lands. Definitions. (a) The Commissioner of Agriculture shall evaluate all information and statistics collected by the department with regard to agriculture for the purpose of recommending methods to be p…

Sec. 22-4. Appointment of commissioner. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall be appointed in accordance with the provisions of sections 4-5, 4-6, 4-7 and 4-8. Said commissioner shall receive an annual salary to be determined as provided by section 4-40 and shall devote his full …

Sec. 22-4a. Delegation of commissioner's authority. (a) The Commissioner of Agriculture may designate as his agent any state or regional agency or municipality or employee thereof and delegate to such agent the authority to inspect in connection with the enforcement of the provis…

Sec. 22-4b. Designation of agents by commissioner. Designation of hearing officers by commissioner. The Commissioner of Agriculture may designate as an agent of the commissioner: (1) Any deputy commissioner or any employee of the department to exercise all or part of the authorit…

Sec. 22-4c. Powers of commissioner. Recording and transcription of hearings. Payment of related costs or expenses. (a) The Commissioner of Agriculture may: (1) Adopt, amend or repeal, in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, such standards, criteria and regulations, and s…

Sec. 22-4d. Cease and desist orders. (a) The Commissioner of Agriculture, whenever he finds after investigation that (1) any person is causing, engaging in or maintaining, or is about to cause, engage in or maintain, any condition or activity which, in his judgment, will result i…

Sec. 22-5. Deputy commissioner. Section 22-5 is repealed. (1949 Rev., S. 3053; 1953, June, 1955, S. 1695d; P.A. 77-614, S. 609, 610.)

Sec. 22-6. Powers and duties of commissioner. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall be the administrative head of the Department of Agriculture. The commissioner shall encourage and promote the development of agriculture within the state and collect and publish information and st…

Sec. 22-6a. Receipt of federal funds and gifts by commissioner. The Commissioner of Agriculture may, subject to any limitations otherwise imposed by law, receive and accept on behalf of the Department of Agriculture or any component agency thereof any funds which may be offered o…

Sec. 22-6b. Refunds of sums paid Department of Agriculture. The Comptroller, upon application of the Commissioner of Agriculture, may draw his order upon the Treasurer in favor of any person equitably entitled to the refund of any money paid to any component agency of the Departm…