Got produce?

The Rochester Planning Board is looking to protect local farmers while also encouraging a younger generation of growers to sell produce in town by amending the town’s farm and roadside stand bylaw.

Planning Board Chair Arnie Johnson said the proposed changes to the bylaw would be more open to what could be sold at a roadside stand.

“Now, the bylaw states that the produce sold has to be grown on that property,” Johnson said. “We want to change it so that produce sold has to be grown in Rochester.”

This, Johnson said, might encourage more people to set up a stand.

“Somebody may not have the best location in town, but they want to sell produce. The changes would allow someone to sell stuff at a friend’s place, or another place in town,” Johnson said.

Farm stands are classified as being more than 625 square feet, whereas a roadside stand would be smaller.

Johnson said the board is looking to limit commercial operations from setting up a farm stand in town.

Johnson said the board would require that 50 percent of the produce be grown in Rochester and only 25 percent can be brought in from other towns.

“With a town like this one, with a lot of agriculture, it prevents commercial operations from setting up under the guise of farm stands. We designed the bylaw to promote local agriculture,” Johnson said.

While no problems have arisen in Rochester, Johnson said he has heard of commercial operations harming farmers’ businesses in nearby towns.

“People abuse the phrase ‘native grown’ and it tends to put a hurt on local agriculture. The stands are typically only out from June to September and that’s how some people make a living. A commercial operation can come in and under price the product,” Johnson said.

Currently, the town has just one farm stand, Cervelli Farm on Vaughan Hill Road, and several roadside stands.

The board will present the proposed changes to Special Town Meeting in fall. Before then, Johnson said the board plans on holding public hearings to get feedback from residents.

“We want to have educational literature out there as well. We want people to know why we want to do it, and I hope we have support,” Johnson said.

The town’s Agricultural Commission gave the board its endorsement of the proposed changes to the bylaw, Johnson said.

Of the proposed changes, Johnson said, “We’re looking towards the future. We have a lot of open space in town, and we want to try to help people get into the farming business. We want young farmers to set up a business.”