Feb 26, 2024
Michigan gives training grant to Edible Garden
Indoor leafy greens grower Edible Garden has received funding from Michigan for employee training.
The controlled environment agriculture (CEA) grower received funds from the Going PRO Talent Fund, awarded by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity-Workforce Development (LEO-WD), facilitated through Michigan Works!
This funding is aimed at reimbursing employers in Western Michigan for costs incurred in the training, development and retention of existing and new employees. It supports the expansion and enhancement of employee skills, fosters opportunities for internal growth or promotion and contributes to their economic progress, according to an Edible Garden news release. All training must fill a demonstrated talent need experienced by the company, be short-term in nature and lead to a credential for a skill that is transferable and recognized by industry.
The grant will reimburse the company for training expense at the Edible Garden Heartland facility in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in areas such as supply chain management, transportation and logistics.
“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,” Jim Kras, Edible Garden CEO, said in the release. “Furthermore, this training will provide added support for the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance supply chain management at the Heartland facility, where we utilize our proprietary GreenThumb greenhouse agriculture technology to enhance supply chain efficiency which has resulted in increased shipping and fill rates, alongside notable sales growth.”
