Proposed Exeter Tomato Farm Not A Done Deal: Report

EXETER, RI — Officials recently held a ribbon cutting for a state-of-the-art indoor tomato farm that would use advanced technology and solar energy to produce a year-round locally grown crop.

Rhode Island Grows LLC says its pending hydroponic greenhouse operation at Schartner Farms off South County Trail could yield 650,000 pounds of tomatoes per acre, with a possible expansion to 350 acres in five years.

While Rhode Island Grows touted the project as a win-win-win for local food production, the economy, and the environment, it turns out that the entity still needs to wrap up its state and local permitting.

EcoRI reports:

"The Exeter Town Council voted June 7 to send a Rhode Island Grows proposal for a zoning overlay district back to the Planning Board for further consideration. The company made significant changes to its initial proposal, which the Planning Board did not have time to fully consider before a deadline to forward a recommendation to the council."

And "Rhode Island Grows has spent the past two years on a path to obtain state permits for the project with the assistance of DEM and has so far obtained two of three necessary permits..."

Read more at EcoRI.