SALISBURY, MD. — Perdue associates from more than a dozen countries recently shared their cultures, customers and heritages with their fellow workers and community leaders during the annual Diversity Day celebration at the company’s Milford, Del., Perdue Foods operation.

What began as a small, grass-roots effort more than 10 years ago to bring associates together from different backgrounds, has blossomed into a much-anticipated, daylong celebration featuring music, dancing, educational displays and food native to the countries represented across the plant’s workforce of more than 1,600.

“It really has become an educational event as well as a celebration of our diversity,” said Dean Walston. “Associates spend a lot of time creating their costumes and displays representing their customs and the heritage of their countries. They take a lot of pride in this event and sharing it with one another, and with the community. I think it also sends the message to our neighbors and folks within our city that we embrace the diversity of our workforce and the diversity of the community in which we do business.”

Milford Mayor Bryan Shupe is a frequent visitor to the celebration and looks forward to the event each year.

“As Perdue’s associates share their heritage with the community it allows all of us to learn more about the diverse cultures that make up our community,” said Shupe. “We are fortunate to live in a community where businesses embrace the strength of bringing cultures and people together.”

As associate Dakisha Robinson explains, “Diversity Day allows us to show that no matter where we come from we are all united. It helps us to teach other associates who we are as a culture, but we are all still a family.”

About Perdue Farms
We’re a third-generation, family owned, U.S. food and agriculture company. Through our belief in responsible food and agriculture, we are empowering consumers, customers and farmers through trusted choices in products and services.

We focus on continuously improving everything we do, constantly learning, and sharing those insights across different production methods. That innovative approach is driving change throughout the company and onto farms. This continuous advancement is leading us toward our vision of becoming the most trusted name in food and agricultural products.

The PERDUE^® brand is the number-one brand of fresh chicken in the U.S., and Perdue AgriBusiness is an international agricultural products and services company. As we approach our 100^th anniversary in 2020, our path forward is about getting better, not just bigger. We never use drugs for growth promotion in raising poultry and livestock, and we are actively advancing our animal welfare programs. Our brands are leaders in no-antibiotics-ever chicken, turkey and pork, and in USDA-certified organic chicken. We’ve increased our support for the family farm by creating new markets, including specialty crops. Through agricultural services, we give farmers more options for the acre, including conversion to organic production and products and services that increase the sustainability of conventional agriculture. Learn more at www.perduefarms.com.