Community - Maine Seaweed Exchange

Kelp Collaborative
The Kelp Collaborative is a Maine Seaweed Exchange Program designed to encourage the development of an organic network of seaweed farmers and processors to scale the industry with a sustainable community-based model. By providing training, support, and market opportunities to seaweed farmers and processors, we seek to develop a high quality, high-value seaweed aquaculture industry based on shared values, collaboration, and passion for our work.

Program Highlights:
The Kelp Collaborative is focused on creating a collaborative network of organically certified seaweed farms and drying and processing facilities. The Kelp Collaborative is open to new or existing seaweed farmers, dryers, and processors.. MSE will assist with required certifications, training, and facilitation services.
Members may list offers to buy, sell, distribute, process farmed seaweed, or offer seaweed related services.
Organic certification, shared standards, and shared infrastructure will allow members to work together to grow, dry, process, and sell high quality, high-value seaweeds.
Current Offerings:
KCfarmers can earn $1 per pound of wet seaweed.
KC processers can earn $5 per pound of dry weight to dry seaweed. (seaweed provided wet from another member’s farm)
Integrated farm and drying facilities can earn $15 per pound for dry seaweed.
Why this Program is Necessary:
Farmers are growing seaweed only to find there is little to no market to sell their crops. Many farmers stop growing after one to two years or enter into supply agreements that are below market value.
In the past 15 years, farmed seaweed has attracted significant attention. Still, there is a need for processors. Right now there is little to no funding available for training.
For farmed seaweed to become a significant economic driver in our communities, we must invest in developing the capacity of processors.. The Kelp Collaborative’s goal is to offer support and training to build processing facilities and to connect farmers, dryers, and processors.
MSE can help interested participants build, certify, and operate their own seaweed drying houses and processing facilities.

Kelp Collaborative

Why this Program is Necessary:

Farmers are growing seaweed only to find there is little to no market to sell their crops. Many farmers stop growing after one to two years or enter into supply agreements that are below market value.

In the past 15 years, farmed seaweed has attracted significant attention. Still, there is a need for processors. Right now there is little to no funding available for training.

For farmed seaweed to become a significant economic driver in our communities, we must invest in developing the capacity of processors.. The Kelp Collaborative’s goal is to offer support and training to build processing facilities and to connect farmers, dryers, and processors.

MSE can help interested participants build, certify, and operate their own seaweed drying houses and processing facilities.