CEA lettuce grower receives Michigan workforce development funding
Edible Garden, a controlled environment agriculture producer of locally grown, organic and sustainable produce, has received workforce development funding to support training and retention.
The grant from the Going PRO Talent Fund is awarded by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity – Workforce Development. It reimburses employers in Western Michigan for costs incurred in the training, development and retention of existing and new employees and supports the expansion of employee skills and growth opportunities.
Funded training must fill a demonstrated talent need, be short-term and lead to a credential for an industry-recognized skill, according to a news release.
“The grant will reimburse the company for training expenses for our staff at the Edible Garden Heartland facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in crucial areas such as supply chain management, transportation and logistics,” Edible Garden CEO Jim Kras said in the release. “Additionally, it will cover on-the-job training costs for new hires at the facility, expected to fill positions like food safety officer, general manager and grower.”
Kras said the grant will also support supply chain management at Edible Garden’s Michigan facility, which uses the company’s proprietary GreenThumb greenhouse agriculture technology.
Edible Garden operates greenhouses and processing facilities in Grand Rapids and Belvidere, New Jersey. The company’s network of contract growers in the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest and West Coast provides locally grown, cut and packed fresh lettuce and organic herbs.
