BUXTON – 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 wild seaweed and also uses farmed seaweed for use in a variety of products. Staff photo by John Ewing

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.