Wednesday, May 14, 6 – 9pm
Berkeley City Club, 2315 Durant Ave, Berkeley
You’ll be inspired by the accomplishments of these nationally selected sustainable food heroes.
Eat, drink, learn:
Meet the award winners and renowned food experts in person at an innovative “learning fair” reception.
After five years of celebrating the nation’s most influential leaders in sustainable food and agriculture, the Growing Green Awards will once again reveal four inspiring winners at 6:00pm on Wednesday, May 14th at the Berkeley City Club. This year, the Berkeley Food Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council have partnered to host the most exciting awards yet. With four new award categories and an innovative learning fair reception, the night will offer more opportunities for guests to engage with their favorite sustainable food champions. Following a multi-media award ceremony and panel discussion, guests will have the chance to meet with the winners and mingle with other leading experts at learning stations throughout the reception area. In addition to the award winners, participating experts will include scientists from UC Berkeley, California State University, and Washington State University; experts from NRDC and BFI; and nationally recognized business leaders.
Tickets are available at http://gga2014.eventbrite.com. Prices start at $30 ($20 for students). Wine and hors d’oeuvres are included with ticket purchase.
Hosts: Berkeley Food Institute and the Natural Resources Defense Council
Master of Ceremonies: Anna Lappé, author and advocate
Awards: Food and Farm Educator, Pollinator Protector, Sustainable Livestock Producer, Regional Food Leader.
Big thanks to our sponsors! Organic Valley, Annie’s, Clif Bar, Nature’s Path and other supporters have helped make this event possible.
There’s more! Sustainable Livestock Innovations and Impacts Forum on May 15
Inspiring conversations will continue on Thursday, May 15th from 9am – 12:15pm at the David Brower Center, 2150 Allston Way, Berkeley, with a forum on “Sustainable Livestock Innovations and Impacts” led by scientists and livestock producers. More on the Sustainable Livestock Forum here.
The Awards
Sustainable Food and Farm Educator
Academic, educator, or non-profit leader (including extension) who has successfully contributed to the widespread adoption of sustainable agriculture and food practices through the transfer of knowledge with a significant number of food producers.
Sustainable Livestock Producer
Producer of food animals who has developed and applied innovative livestock production systems that reduce reliance on antibiotics, operate in harmony with the natural environment, and provide healthy conditions for workers and communities.
Pollinator Protector
Practitioner, advocate or scientist who has demonstrated leadership in raising public attention to the critical loss of pollinators in the U.S. and has either implemented significant actions to protect or enhance pollinators, or marshalled action to win government or industry support to preserve them.
Regional Food Leader
Entrepreneur or advocate who has contributed replicable, scalable tools, services, infrastructure or networks to help expand regional food systems.
Growing Green Awards Criteria
In selecting from nominees, the awards selection panel considered the following criteria:
- Innovation in promoting ecologically-integrated food systems. This may include minimizing inputs of energy, water, antibiotics, pesticides and other chemicals; reducing pollution and global warming gas emissions; use of on-farm polyculture; increasing natural resilience; and stewardship of biodiversity, open space and land resources.
- Advancement of health, justice, safety and economic viability for farmers, food system workers and communities.
- Potential to achieve wide scale adoption, implementation or behavioral change.
Selection Panel
We are grateful to the following sustainable food leaders who volunteered to join the 2014 Growing Green Awards selection panel:
Gary Hirshberg is Chairman of the Board, Cofounder and former CE-Yo of Stonyfield Farm. He is also a founding partner and Chair of the Board of “Just Label It”, a campaign to label genetically engineered foods.
Fred Kirschenmann serves as President of Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture in New York and as a Distinguished Fellow for the Leopold Center at Iowa State University
Russ Kremer, the 2013 winner of the GGA’s Food Producer Award, is the founder of the 52-member Ozark Mountain Pork Cooperative.
Kathleen Merrigan served as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture from 2009 to 2013, overseeing USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food program, among many other initiatives.
Read more about the Growing Green Awards process, judges and previous winners online.
