Salisbury, Md. (Friday, October 26, 2018) — One hundred tons of Perdue AgriRecycle’s microSoft Compost® will help the Food Bank of Delaware transform a once neglected and empty lot in the Pencader Corporate Complex into a farm producing nutritious food for the community.

PerdueAgriRecycle delivered the first 50 tons of organic compost recently to the Corteva Agriscience Farm at the Food Bank of Delaware’s future home at 222 Lake Drive in Newark, Del. An additional 50 tons will be delivered in Spring 2019.

“The land that this farm occupies comes with unique challenges,” said Patrick Eggleston, the food bank’s farm manager. “Before the food bank’s work began here, it was an empty lot in the corner of an industrial park. The site was covered in structural fill and littered with construction debris. The process of taking this land from a forgotten, neglected parcel to a site capable of producing food for our communities is a tough one but one that we’re proud to be a part of. Acts of generosity like that of Perdue’s compost donation are the types of things that help make our vision of a full production farm a reality.”

The compost is produced at the Perdue AgriRecycle facility in Blades, Del., and provides an environmentally friendly way to recycle nutrients from poultry production and processing.

The compost donation will help the food bank more rapidly improve growing conditions on the farm by enhancing chemical, physical and biological soil characteristics of the site. The addition of this material will also help reduce erosion and supply a healthy dose of organic matter. Currently, the Food Bank of Delaware has two high tunnels in production on the farm. Over time, as soil conditions become more favorable, the food bank will expand production into the fields.

“We are proud to support the Food Bank of Delaware through this donation and their efforts to educate the public on the benefits of composting and their vision of supplying healthy, nutritious fruits and vegetables to the surrounding municipalities,” said Scott Raubenstine, vice president of Agricultural Services for Perdue AgriBusiness.

“Quality compost can be a great way to Rejuvenate Your Soil™ by increasing soil microbial activity and adding organic matter to poor soils,” said Raubenstine. “Perdue’s microSTART compost® adds organic matter to soils, which improves water holding capacity, assists in the reduction of nutrient runoff/leaching, and improves the soil structure by developing a healthy root zone for plant development.” 

About the Food Bank of Delaware:
The Food Bank of Delaware distributes millions of pounds of products each year to its network of 536 hunger-relief program partners throughout the state and also provides thousands of meals a month for children through the After-School Nutrition Program, the Summer Grab and Go Program and the Backpack Program. The Food Bank of Delaware provides community outreach through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC). Financial literacy coaching through $tand By Me and nutrition education are also offered to empower Delawareans. Delaware Food Works, a workforce development initiative of the Food Bank of Delaware, provides training for adults interested in careers in the food service industry, warehousing/logistics and agriculture. For more information about the Food Bank of Delaware, visit www.fbd.org or call (302) 292-1305.

About Perdue AgriBusiness
Perdue AgriBusiness, part of Perdue Farms, is an international agricultural products and services company. We source, merchandise and process agricultural commodities. Our diverse portfolio of products includes grains, oilseeds, soybean meal, blended feed ingredients and top-quality seed oils for food and other uses. In addition, we provide a full range of farm inputs, including seeds and fertilizers, and services from agronomy to risk management and merchandising.  We help our customers and family farmers prosper with flexible, forward-thinking solutions. Our business started as a family farm, and we know our future depends upon continuously earning the trust of farmers and customers. Learn more at www.perdueagribusiness.com and www.perduefarms.com