Southold Town is weighing a change to the code that would allow farmstands to create and sell value-added products onsite.
At Tuesday’s work session, Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell said the town’s agricultural advisory committee had made several recommendations to he town, to amend the current farmstand code.
According to farmer Chris Baiz, there is no way for those pursuing aquaculture or mariculture to sell their offerings retail and no way to market their products; they are unable to sell on land.
Other issues included allowing for a farmstand operators’ permit.
Baiz said the goal is to create a way for farmers to glean a living and remain viable in the years ahead, when an acre of potatoes generates about “10 cents of revenue per square foot” when an acre of land costs up to $2.50 per square foot.
To that end, value added products are critical, he said; the suggested code amendments would allow farmers to process and market crops on-site rather than have to rent expensive or commercially owned parcels.
