October 3, NEWTOWN – State Senator Tony Hwang toured Planter’s Choice Nursery in Newtown to meet with multiple generation owners Chuck and Darryl Newman about the challenges faced by their business and how their unique qualities make them an important piece of the community and the local and state economy.
“I came here today to try to better understand the partnerships between business and government. So many take for granted the ways in which small business affects the economy and the way policy decisions in Hartford affect small business. If we don’t have partnerships with our local employers and business owners, we can’t draft policies that will help them and our economy grow.”
As the only large-scale growers in Fairfield and Litchfield Counties, Planter’s Choice occupies a large space in the home building, real estate, and landscaping sector. The Newman’s are also proud to support the local economy. Growing two-thirds of what they sell, Planter’s Choice makes sure that the rest of their products are from other local vendors, and they employ 45 people from Newtown and the surrounding area.
“It was a pleasure meeting with Senator Hwang and discussing issues of concern to agriculture and small businesses such as the elimination of the estate tax to keep land in farming, maintaining access to affordable lands and having access to a qualified workforce,” said Darryl Newman.
It is more than just a business, Planter’s Choice is a great friend to our environment. Despite the machinery and vehicles necessary to run such a large scale operation, the business actually removes more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they put in thanks to the natural processes of the 5,000 evergreens and 5,000 shade trees they grow and sell each year. And because they need the soil to be strong to foster better growth, they often leave the soil better than they found it.
“Now that I’ve had a chance to learn and understand their unique business challenges, I am excited to move forward and provide the connections they need to advance shared goals of environmental stewardship while protecting and possibly growing their business. Planter’s Choice is an environmental steward and fills a necessary space in our economy, and I’m glad I had the chance to meet with Derryl and Chuck so they know they have an ally in Hartford.”
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