By TIM FAULKNER/ecoRI.org News staff
Kenneth
Payne, director of the Rhode Island Agricultural Partnership (Rhody Ag), says the outlook for local
farmers is positive. A yet-to-be-published report by Rhody Ag finds that local
farmers markets and farm stands are well known and highly regarded by Rhode
Islanders.
“They
like the products because of its freshness and it’s local,” Payne said. “The
favorability is off-the-charts good.”
The big
challenge, he said, is making local agricultural products as accessible to
consumers as products offered at supermarkets. “People would more like it to
fit into their daily routine,” Payne said.
The full
report is expected by mid-January.
Payne
made the comments during a press conference last month at Pezza Farm in
Johnston. He mentioned the report while giving a brief history of Rhode
Island’s recent agricultural movement.
Local
farmers have noted that the overall climate for farming in Rhode Island has
improved after years of inattention.
Richard
Shartner of Shartner Farms in Exeter and North Kingstown said farmers are
partially to blame for unfavorable laws and zoning regulations that led to the
loss of open space and unhelpful policies. “A lot of it was because farmers
weren’t paying attention,” he said.
Groups
such as the Rhode Island Farm Bureau, Rhody Fresh and Rhody Ag have helped
farmers join forces to advocate for policies and programs that help their
businesses. “It’s all about policy,” Shartner said.
Farming,
he said, is a purer form of wealth creation than manufacturing. “It’s part of
the charm of Rhode Island.”