Maine seaweed and grain processors awarded $1M in federal funding
Photo / Courtesy Sheridan Corp.
Maine Grains in Skowhegan expects to add capacity for grain extrusion. The expansion includes a new building.
From seaweed processing to grain milling, five food companies across Maine are slated to receive a total of $1 million in federal funding to build greater food resilience in Maine’s food system.
The money was awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program to support five supply chain infrastructure projects.
“Agriculture and aquaculture have played an enormous role in Maine’s history and heritage, and our farms are vital to ensuring long-term food security — and the economic wellbeing of our state,” said U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-Maine 1st District, a longtime organic farmer who serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture and the House Agriculture Committee.
Bouchard Family Farm in Fort Kent plans to expand the farm’s processing facility to include a new addition, more milling capacity and increased storage. The upgraded facility will double the farm’s production of gluten-free buckwheat flour, aimed at boosting the use of buckwheat as a rotation crop for local farms.
Earlier this year, Bouchard Family Farm won the Shep Lee Community Service Award, named for one of the founders of the institute. The award recognized the way the farm has served its Aroostook County community by preserving Acadian farming heritage, largely through reigniting interest in buckwheat — and creating agricultural jobs.
Maine Grains in Skowhegan expects to add capacity for grain extrusion, enabling the production of ready-to-eat products made with local grains and helping connect small producers to new markets.
The award is part of $700,000 in grants the company secured this year to purchase new equipment, build production capacity and reuse byproducts. Maine Grains, which operates its grist mill at the former Somerset County county jail downtown, said it will use the money to purchase a German-made “specialized cereal extrusion equipment line. The equipment is estimated to cost $1.3 million.
Maine Coast Sea Vegetables in Hancock said it will install and operate a seaweed powder mill to process farm-raised kelp into powder, which will help fill a supply chain gap for Maine's seaweed growers.
Shep and Linnette Erhart launched the business in 1971 to process edible seaweed, developed a production facility and built up the business with processing, product development, storage and shipping.
Atlantic Sea Farms in Biddeford said it plans to expand kelp processing capacity by increasing cold storage, automating production lines and developing infrastructure for dried and fermented kelp products.
Atlantic Sea Farms partners with seaweed farmers to source kelp and processes it into refrigerated and frozen products. In 2024, the company doubled the harvest and had more “partner farmers” and retail outlets than ever. The 40 partner farmers in 18 communities harvested 1.3 million pounds of kelp; more than 4,000 retail stores across the country carry the company’s products.
Tops'l Farm in Waldoboro said it would build a new processing facility to create products highlighting Maine-grown ingredients. The project supports over 30 farms, expands distribution to online and retail markets and establishes the Tops’l Farm Growers Collective to strengthen agricultural resilience.
“Projects funded through the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program are building strength and resilience in Maine’s food system, diversifying agricultural markets, creating new revenue streams for small and mid-sized producers and providing economic opportunities for local communities,” said Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs under secretary.
The funding is part of $420 million made available through the American Rescue Plan.
Most Recent
Most Recent
0 Comments