BELVIDERE, NJ, June 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Edible Garden AG Incorporated (“Edible Garden” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: EDBL, EDBLW), a leader in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), locally grown, organic and sustainable produce and products, today announced that the Company has received funding from West Michigan Works! and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (“MDARD”) Specialty Crop Block Program.
These funds are designated to reimburse Western Michigan employers for expenses associated with leadership and food safety training. The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which enhances the competitiveness of Michigan’s specialty crops such as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture, awards grants to organizations that demonstrate potential impacts and quantifiable results for the specialty crop industry and/or the public.
Mr. Jim Kras, Chief Executive Officer of Edible Garden, commented, “We are pleased to have been awarded these grants from West Michigan Works! and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Specialty Crop Block Program that will be able to enhance the Company’s efforts in food safety. Specifically, these grants will provide opportunities for our employees at the Company’s Edible Garden Heartland facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to undergo training in key areas including Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP) training, and Good Agricultural Practices Training. These grants not only reflect our dedication to food safety but also complement our research partnership with the New Jersey Institute of Technology, the USDA, and the EPA studying the impact of nanobubble technology on fresh produce food safety and processing procedures, as well as our collaborative research study with Auburn University’s Department of Horticulture on food safety issues related to fresh produce contamination, such as listeria.”
ABOUT EDIBLE GARDEN®
Edible Garden AG Incorporated is a leader in locally grown organic leafy greens and herbs backed by Zero-Waste Inspired® next-generation farming. Offered at over 4,000 stores in the US, Edible Garden is disrupting the CEA and sustainability technology movement with its safety-in-farming protocols, use of sustainable packaging, patented GreenThumb software and self-watering in-store displays. The Company currently operates its own state-of-the-art greenhouses and processing facilities in Belvidere, New Jersey and Grand Rapids, Michigan, and has a network of contract growers, all strategically located near major markets in the U.S. Its proprietary GreenThumb software optimizes growing in vertical and traditional greenhouses while seeking to reduce pollution-generating food miles. Edible Garden is also a developer of ingredients and proteins, providing an accessible line of plant and whey protein powders under the Vitamin Way® and Vitamin Whey® brands. In addition, the Company offers a line of sustainable food flavoring products such as Pulp gourmet sauces and chili-based products. For more information on Edible Garden go to https://ediblegardenag.com/.
