Every year, the Growing Green Awards honor exceptional leaders and innovators committed to sustainable food and agriculture. Hosted by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and the Berkeley Food Institute (BFI) in San Francisco, the 2014 awards have been given to four individuals, chosen among hundreds of other candidates across the United States. Winners have been awarded in four categories: Sustainable Livestock Producer, Sustainable Food and Farm Educator, Pollinator Protector, and Regional Food Leader.
“We are delighted to recognize these inspiring leaders. They have undertaken remarkable work to advance sustainable food and agriculture systems through innovative approaches,” said Ann Thrupp, Executive Director of the Berkeley Food Institute.
John Reganold from the Washington State University (WSU) is the winner in Sustainable Food and Farm Education.
For Regents Professor John Reganold, the best classroom is a farm and the best textbook is a handful of dirt. In a career spanning more than three decades, Reganold is regarded as an internationally renowned soil scientist and one of Washington State University’s most beloved teachers. He founded the first organic agriculture major in the United States and the nation’s largest certified organic teaching farm at WSU. Backed by academic research from more than a 1,000 farms on four continents, he has bravely called upon students, scientists and policy makers to reimagine conventional farming in America. Reganold has helped train the next generation of sustainability leaders, with over 4,000 undergraduate students in his classes to date. He stands at the frontlines of an educational movement, determined to transition farmland away from toxic chemicals and the marks of erosion, toward healthy soils and sustainable, abundant harvests.
Read John’s blog post: Smart Soil: Transforming U.S. Agriculture One Class at a Time
