UMaine among recipients of state agricultural research grants, media report
Mainebiz reported the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry recently announced five grants totaling almost $188,000 that will support projects addressing critical needs in the state’s agriculture industry. The awards were announced during Agriculture Day at the Maine Legislature. The projects particularly target Washington County for development of new markets and processing techniques for wild blueberries and organic poultry processing and also include support for the creation of value-added vegetable products that can be marketed on a global scale, according to the article. The University of Maine was among the recipients. Jennifer Perry, an assistant professor of food microbiology at UMaine, was awarded $27,735 to support research on how to optimize aqueous washing procedures for wild blueberry growers and processors to ensure improved food safety, the article states. Fiddlehead Focus also reported on the grants.