KUTZTOWN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Rodale Institute today announced the recipients of the 2011 Organic Pioneer Awards, which recognize individuals for their innovative contributions to the organic movement in America, in celebration of the milestone 30th anniversary of the organization’s Farming Systems Trial. This year’s award winners are:
- Drew and Joan Norman, One Straw Farm
- Maurice Small, youth organizer
- Dr. Richard Harwood, former Director of the Rodale Research Center and invaluable contributor to the Farming System’s Trial, America’s longest-running side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional agriculture.
As the organic movement continues its stunning progress from the fringe to the mainstream—a recent Thomson Reuters-NPR health poll shows that 58 percent of Americans choose organic food when given a choice—, Rodale Institute is commemorating the farmers, scientists and activists that lead this transformation.
This year’s crop of recipients will be honored at the Organic Pioneer Awards benefit dinner, which will take place at the Rodale Institute farm in Kutztown, Pennsylvania on September 16, 2011. Featuring a keynote speech by Stonyfield Farms CE-Yo Gary Hirschberg, all proceeds will benefit Rodale Institute. Tickets to the dinner are available at www.rodaleinstitute.org/organic_pioneer_awards.
The event will also celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Farming Systems Trial, and Rodale Institute will soon release new findings showing that organic agriculture produces competitive yields, is more energy efficient and more economically viable than conventional practices.
"The fact that we are able to honor these amazing individuals for their outstanding, long-term commitments to the advancement of organic agriculture, coupled with the existence of a great and increasing demand for organic products, is testament to the tremendous growth of the field,” said Maria Rodale, chairman and CEO of Rodale Inc, co-chair of Rodale Institute and granddaughter of organic movement pioneer J.I. Rodale. “The organic movement has come a long way, and it is largely in thanks to pioneers like Dr. Harwood, Drew and Joan Norman, and Maurice Small, who believed in the power of organic from the beginning and weren't afraid to take a stand early on. They are an inspiration for all of us, especially for the next generation of organic leaders."
“Each of these individuals sets an example of who we are and who we want to be— both as an organization and as an industry,” said Mark “Coach” Smallwood, Executive Director of Rodale Institute. “In my first year as the Executive Director, it is a proud moment to be able to honor pioneers that represent the history and the evolution of the organic movement. This event connects the dots between research, farming and innovation.”
As one the Research Directors that oversaw the creation and launch of the landmark Farming Systems Trial, Dr. Richard Harwood’s work with Rodale can be seen throughout the farm and continues to influence and shape the Institute’s research today.
Owners of the largest certified organic vegetable farm in Maryland, Drew and Joan Norman impact the entire Mid-Atlantic region through their organic production practices and provide inspiration to other growers.
Regarded as a visionary, a food broker, an educator, and a friend of worms, Maurice Small has more than twenty years of experience in creating excellent soil, growing delicious food and cultivating young leaders in Northeast Ohio. Deservedly distinguished as an “Urban Action Hero,” Maurice saves lives each day through his mission and work.
The Organic Pioneer Awards dinner is made possible by the generous support of Gross McGinley Attorneys at Law, Peter Kleinhans, M & T Bank, Stonyfield Farms, Organic Valley, New Chapter, Fertrell, Bates Trucking and AgriSystems International.
Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to pioneering organic farming through research and outreach. Celebrating its 30th anniversary in the fall of 2011, the Institute’s landmark Farming Systems Trial is America’s longest running side-by-side comparison of organic and conventional agriculture. For over sixty-years, the Institute has been committed to researching the best practices for organic farming and sharing findings with farmers and scientists around the world, advocating for policies that support farmers, and educating consumers about how going organic is the healthiest option for people and the planet