$200,000 in Grants Awarded to Massachusetts Produce and Seafood Farmers

Watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, fever and chills are all symptoms of a bacteria commonly found in oysters. Vibrio parahaemolyticus is naturally occurring and usually found in warm, shallow waters. Symptoms show up within 24 hours of ingesting the bacteria and, although it does not cause severe disease, the illness can last three days.

It’s not something anyone wants to experience.

A new round of grants from the Patrick Administration may keep many from that discomfort. The $200,000 in grants is the second round out of the Agricultural Food Safety Improvement Program and was awarded to 30 produce and seafood farmers across the state.

Seafood farm companies from Barnstable and Hyannis were on that list. Barnstable Sea Farms was given $3,821.00 for an ice machine and Cape Cod Oyster, Co in Hyannis was given $6,000.00 also for an ice machine.

Ice machines will help the seafood farms comply with regulations set up by the state government to reduce the possibility of Vibrio parahaemolyticus growing on commercially sold oysters.

The Vp Control Plan requires all seafood farmers to ice oysters within two hours of harvest or after the oyster is exposed by tide.