Updated July 22.
Tisbury Oyster Co. received $10,000 from the state as part of a funding initiative to support local farms. The grant, announced Friday, will be used by Noah Mayrand, owner of the oyster farm, to purchase floating oyster cages, redo the electrical system on the company boat, and upgrade cage-hauler equipment.
“Massachusetts farmers are essential to our economy, our food supply, and our communities,” Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper said in a press release. “These investments give farmers the tools they need to grow their businesses, improve their operations, and remain competitive. Their success means more jobs, stronger local economies, and fresh, locally grown food for communities across Massachusetts.”
Tisbury Oyster Co. is one of seven farms in the state, but the only Island farm this year that received funding through the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ (MDAR) Matching Enterprise Grants for Agriculture (MEGA) program. This initiative provides business planning and technical assistance along with funding for agriculture and aquaculture farms between one and 10 years old.
The selected farms work with MDAR to design their business plans. After the plans are approved, the farms receive matching grants of up to $30,000 to fund the improvements outlined in the plans.
Launched in 2022, Mayrand’s farm is located in Lagoon Pond, just off Oklahoma Springs and 500 yards north of the town’s Water Works. Mayrand said that the grant came at a much-needed time for his business.
“It was a tight year, and a tough spring getting through the winter,” Mayrand said. “It’s been an amazing push for my company to grow.”
Mayrand, who works as a plumber and an oyster shucker to financially support his farm, emphasized the challenges of operating an oyster farm on the Vineyard, such as the two- to three-year period that it takes for an oyster to grow to market size.
“The first two years of any farm, you don’t make any money,” Mayrand said. “I know it’s a game of patience.”
To design his business plan, Mayrand paired up with East Wareham cranberry farmer Rick Connole, who helped him assemble the operational logistics of his farm, such as the estimated survival rate of his oyster seed and the projected amount of seed he’ll need to purchase for the future.
Once the state approved his plan, Mayrand received the grant. He underscored the importance of the purchases he has made, such as the floating cages.
“Oysters are very competitive eaters. If there are too many in a cage, they’ll starve the smaller ones out,” he said. He added that improvements to his business “are the things I think about at night when I’m sleeping.”
Due to the addition of his new equipment, Mayrand said that he hopes to lease a second acre in Lagoon Pond from Tisbury. Mayrand already has town approval and is waiting for state approval.
Editor’s note: A former version of this story stated Mayrand wanted to buy, not lease, a second acre in Lagoon Pond.