Mills Announces Traunch of Government Grants to Handpicked Maine Businesses – The Maine Wire

On Tuesday, Gov. Janet Mills (D-Maine) announced the recipients of $2.9 million in Domestic Trade Grants for Maine businesses intended to help increase their sales across the country, with grants strongly favoring companies that produce “sustainable” expensive artisan products.

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These grants include funds for a company that sells $40 6.5oz cans of eel, another that sells scallops for $60 per pound, and one company that sells nothing but pickled blueberries.

“These investments will help Maine producers of everything from soap to surfboards effectively market their products, create jobs, and strengthen the Maine economy,” said Gov. Mills.

The program, which is primarily intended to expand the customer base of local Maine businesses, also granted $100,000 in taxpayer funding to the Maine State Chamber of Commerce for a “multicultural seafood promotion” in Lowell Massachusetts.

Another $100,000 was granted to Maine and Co., a consulting firm that specializes in working with companies in the aquaculture and forestry businesses. Of note, Maine and Co has a picture of its employees posing with Mills on its homepage, however, the extent of the company’s prior relations with Mills is unclear.

Other businesses include Kennebec River Biosciences, which vaccinates fish, Grain Surfboards, which sells “sustainable” surfboards, and the Blue Ox Malthouse, which proudly promotes Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs.

Not all of the businesses sell sustainable artisan products targeted at wealthy customers, or promote DEI.

A few sell products for average Mainers, including wood pellets, local farm products, and construction supplies, although these businesses largely took a back seat to businesses with products aimed at upper-class customers, or intended to promote Mills’ climate agenda.

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One company, Maine Community Power, which is primarily dedicated to solar power, received $98,000 from the program.

Earlier this year, in February, Mills granted over $3 million to 40 businesses as part of the same program.