The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) announces its third annual Growing Green Awards to recognize individuals who have demonstrated original leadership in the field of sustainable food.  Through this national award, NRDC will recognize extraordinary contributions that advance ecologically integrated farming practices, climate stewardship, water stewardship, farmland preservation, and social responsibility from farm to fork.

A Growing Green Award will be given to an outstanding individual in each of four categories, including Food Producer, Business Leader, Knowledge Leader, and Young Food Leader.  Cash prizes of $10,000 and $5,000 will be awarded in the Food Producer and Young Food Leader categories, respectively, and all winners will be widely celebrated through outreach to media and NRDC’s networks.  Winners will also be celebrated on April 28, 2011 at an event to benefit NRDC in San Francisco.  Award selections will be made by an independent panel of sustainable food experts including Michael Pollan, Maria Rodale, Dan Barber, and Dr. Tom Tomich.  Information about award eligibility, selection criteria and process, and the award selection panel are provided in the attached announcement or online at http://bit.ly/growgrn.

Applications will be accepted until close of business on December 10, 2010. The application must be submitted electronically using the website application process at http://bit.ly/growgrn.  In the last two Growing Green Award competitions we received many excellent nominations that came very close to winning. We will consider previously submitted nominations again this year upon request.