Delaware Online (subscription required) reported an indoor farming operation in Wilmington that led to a 2020 visit from Trump Administration cabinet members is ceasing operations, Delaware Online (subscription required) reported.
The story cited a letter from Second Chances Farm head Ajit George announcing the end of its produce distribution program and vacating its location.
George pointed to the Covid-19 pandemic as a driving force in the decision.
George said in an email message that he will comment on the decision. He did not do so, but appeared in a WDEL interview that listed a number of factors that led to the decision to shut down while holding open the possibility that Second Chances could re-emerge in a smaller form.
Click here for past stories on Second Chances Farm
Second Chances farm was founded by George with the mission of providing jobs for individuals coming out of the corrections system.
Favorable coverage of Second Chances led then-Attorney General William Barr and Housing Secretary Ben Carson to pay a visit to Second Chances operation on Wilmington’s Eastside in 2020. The operation was praised as an example of the federal government’s efforts to improve challenged communities through tax and other incentives.
Second Chances also drew other visitors that included the governor and members of the state’s congressional delegation.
However, the operations and George became the target of lawsuits over unpaid bills and other issues. In his letter, George said Second Chances was undercapitalized from the beginning and struggled with its finances.
Another venture from George, the Mid-Atlantic Food and Wine Festival, folded and left several unpaid vendors several years before the Covid pandemic.
In announcing the end of the distributions, George said Second Chances would send along spices assembled in honor of President Joe Biden and his inauguration.
Delaware Online reported a Virginia spice-maker filed suit against George.
