Salisbury, Md. (Thursday, October 9, 2014) — Perdue Farms joined Kentucky Agriculture Secretary James Comer recently to help launch the state’s first “Ready, Set, Grow” school garden at Beaver Dam Elementary School.

Jim Booth, director of Perdue operations in Cromwell, Ky., presented a $5,000 grant on behalf of Perdue Farms and the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the company’s charitable giving arm, to support the project. The monies will help fund a shelter for the school garden and outdoor learning center.

“We are honored to be able to provide funding for a shelter for the outdoor classroom space at Beaver Dam Elementary,” Booth said. “This school has initiated an innovative learning program that teaches children about where their food comes from and how they can participate in its cultivation. This space will further enhance this wonderful learning opportunity for the children of this school.”

Commissioner Comer said, “The ‘Ready, Set, Grow’ program teaches children gardening skills that they can use all their lives. Some of the students in the program might even be inspired to take up a career in agriculture. I’m glad that Beaver Dam Elementary is offering this program for its students, and I’m grateful to the good folks at Perdue for providing the funding to make this project possible.”

“Ready, Set, Grow” is a partnership of Commissioner Comer and Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear to help Kentucky children learn how to grow fruits and vegetables. For information, visit www.kyproud.com/readysetgrow.

About Perdue Farms
Perdue Farms is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for everyone we touch through innovative food and agricultural products. Since our beginning on Arthur Perdue’s farm in 1920, to our expansion into agribusiness and the introduction of the PERDUE® brand of chicken and turkey under Frank Perdue, and continuing with our third generation of leadership with Chairman Jim Perdue, we’ve remained family owned and family operated. We are the parent company of Perdue Foods and Perdue AgriBusiness. Through our PERDUE®, HARVESTLAND® and COLEMAN NATURAL®, and COLEMAN ORGANIC® food brands; agricultural products and services; and stewardship and corporate responsibility programs, we are working to become the most-trusted name in food and agricultural products.

About The Arthur W. Perdue Foundation
The Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the charitable giving arm of Perdue Farms, was established in 1957 by company founder Arthur W. Perdue and is funded through the estates of Arthur W. Perdue and Frank Perdue. As part of our belief in supporting the communities where and with whom we do business, the Foundation provides grants on behalf of Perdue Farms in communities where large numbers of our associates live and work.  At Perdue Farms, we believe in responsible food and agriculture.™