Feds give $471K to boost Maine food producers
Five rural Maine food producers are receiving $471,571 in federal grants to increase production, create and retain jobs, boost marketing efforts and develop new products.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office announced the funding on Tuesday as part of a its Value-Added Producer Grant program, which aims to create new marketing and product development opportunities for agricultural producers. A total of $25 million in grants has been awarded to 247 businesses across the country.
The five Maine food producers receiving federal grants are:
• Farming Fungi LLC in Springvale, which is receiving $49,912 to help the company “market organic mushrooms in unique, compostable packaging for resale in local grocery chains and food distribution companies,” the USDA said. The funds also will help Farming Fungi expand advertising efforts, product sampling and its website. The investment is expected to help the company increase sales to 1,000 pounds a week, retain six jobs and create two additional ones.
• Apple Acres Farm in Hiram, which is receiving $200,000 to help the company “expand the sales of fresh apples, apple-based products such as donuts and cider, and locally grown foods to over 120 wholesale and 20,000 retail customers,” the USDA said. The funds will help Apple Acres improve its e-commerce website, retain 14 jobs and create five additional ones, including a sales agent position.
• VitaminSea LLC in Buxton, which is receiving $99,988 to help create a marketing campaign intended to boost sales for its seaweed-based foods, snacks and health products, which are projected to grow to 1,000 pounds a week. The funds also will help it “procure unique marketing materials and finance increased production labor costs,” as well as retain three jobs and create three additional ones, the USDA said.
• Maine Fresh Sea Farms LLC in Bristol, which is receiving $71,673 to help it to “study the feasibility of delivering fresh aquacultured sea vegetable products to the marketplace using agricultural produce and seafood distribution systems,” in addition to helping it create a business plan, the USDA said. The funds also will help the company retain 21 jobs and create 10 more over the next decade.
• Marble Family Farms in New Vineyard, which is receiving $49,998 to help the company boost the market for its cooked and blast frozen pocket meal by “increasing meal production to 20,000 units by the end of [the year] and expanding the wholesale and retail customer base,” the USDA said. The funds also will help it expand marketing efforts, retain two jobs and create two additional ones.
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