© 2024 Maine Public | Registered 501(c)(3) EIN: 22-3171529
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Scroll down to see all available streams.

USDA Giving $100K To Maine Seaweed Products Company

BUXTON, Maine - Maine's two U.S. senators say the U.S. Department of Agriculture is awarding $100,000 to a Buxton seaweed harvesting and processing company.
 
The senators say the money is going to VitaminSea to fund a concept study for larger scale commercialization of its seaweed products.
 
VitaminSea harvests seaweed to create health products such as nutritional supplements, plant fertilizers and skin care products. It also uses it to make animal feed. The company intends to use the grant money to look into market potential of kelp as a nutritional supplement and preservative.
 
Harvesting of seaweed is a growing industry along Maine's coast. It's harvested from the wild as well as farmed. Industry members have said more processing infrastructure is needed.
 
The money is coming from the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture.