The California Employment Development Department (EDD) recently announced that it has awarded a $989,853 grant to help retrain at least 185 workers recently laid off from food processing plants in San Joaquin County. The grant will help the former employees of Dole Packaged Foods LLC, Diamond Foods, Inc., and Meadowbrook Meat Company find new employment in local, growing occupations such as truck drivers, office clerks, industrial truck and tractor operators, laborers, and packers. “These workers were affected by industry changes, and it’s important that they receive the training and services necessary to get back into the local workforce,” said EDD Director Patrick W. Henning.