PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • September 5, 2023
As the largest producer of farmed kelp in the U.S., and with a 50-year history in wild seaweed harvesting, Maine is seen as a leader in the U.S. seaweed economy. There are over 40 farms across the coast, and Maine farmers harvested over 1 million pounds of kelp in 2022. On Wednesday and Thursday, Maine is welcoming the Seagriculture USA conference for a second year. Maine companies positioned at the forefront of advanced processing of seaweed as a replacement for plastic packaging, as a mineral-rich food and in medicine and agriculture. It’s a model for sustainable economic development, and if we get it right, it can offer a vital new sector to the Maine economy with high-paying biotech jobs coupled with keeping traditional fisherwomen and fishermen working on the water. ~ Mitchell Lench, Ocean’s Balance