Commissioner Bryan P. Hurlburt

Governor Ned Lamont appointed Bryan P. Hurlburt the 20th Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture in March 2019. Commissioner Hurlburt oversees the department operations and is responsible for programs regarding aquaculture, farmland preservation, agricultural marketing and viability programs, regulatory oversight, and animal control. Connecticut’s agricultural economy generates nearly $4 billion to the state’s economy, consists of 5,500 small business men and women, operating on approximately 400,000 acres of land, and over 50,000 acres in Long Island Sound.

Before being named Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Agriculture, Bryan P. Hurlburt was the executive director of the Connecticut Farm Bureau Association – the state’s largest and oldest agricultural organization. In this role, he advocated on behalf of its members to promote policies that enhance the economic viability of agriculture in the state.

Prior to joining the Farm Bureau, Hurlburt worked as senior vice president of program operations at Wholesome Wave, a nonprofit organization headquartered in Bridgeport, CT that is dedicated to empowering underserved consumers to make healthier food choices by making fresh fruits and vegetables more affordable.

In 2013, he was appointed by President Barack Obama to serve as the Connecticut State Executive Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in a position where he was responsible for overseeing the agency’s crop protection, disaster relief, and loan programs. He instituted a program to use the agency’s six field offices to better serve Connecticut farmers and help them navigate the different state, federal, and local programs that are available to help them and their farm operation.

From 2007 to 2013, Hurlburt was elected to four terms in office as state representative for the 53rd district of Ashford, Tolland, and Willington. During his tenure, he focused on agricultural and environment policy, and was widely recognized as a leader on these issues by various organizations. While in office, he created and chaired the legislature’s Rural Caucus, consisting of rural leaders in each party from the Senate and House and advocating on behalf of those communities.

Hurlburt graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor of science degree in business administration.