Three Martha’s Vineyard farms were among 23 farms statewide to receive grants aimed at improving food safety, according to a press release issued by the Baker-Polito administration. The 23 grants total $1 million
“The commonwealth’s agricultural industry continues to grow and upgrade its practices to both meet marketplace demands and regulatory requirements,” Governor Charlie Baker said in the release. “These grants underscore our administration’s commitment to helping farmers implement important upgrades within their operations to ensure that food safety risks are managed, that their marketplace needs are addressed, and their businesses continue to grow.”
This round of grant funding has a focus on assisting commercial oyster farmers to comply with the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG), Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), and the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Vibrio Control Program. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a human pathogen known to cause foodborne illnesses from the consumption of raw oysters. To address these foodborne illnesses, the program requires strict harvesting controls for oysters. Examples of awards to aquaculture operations to help meet these requirements include oyster graders, refrigerated vehicles, and ice machines that work toward reducing the temperature of oysters at harvest and continued cooling of oysters thereafter.
The following farms on the Island will receive grants:
Honeysuckle Oyster Farm, Edgartown: Walk-in refrigeration; $48,000.
Martino’s Seafood, Oak Bluffs: Two ice machines; $6,400.
Signature Oysters, Edgartown: Oyster tumbler; $13,360.