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.
Sibella Kraus from Sustainable Agriculture Education (SAGE), based in California, is the winner as Regional Food Leader.
Sibella has long called upon cities to embrace the farms at their borders. It was Kraus’ vision as founder of the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Agriculture (CUESA) that gave rise to San Francisco’s iconic Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market in 1992. Her articles and advocacy have been a driving force in the Bay Area food movement for decades. Today, as president of the non-profit organization SAGE (Sustainable Agriculture Education), Kraus continues to foster urban-rural linkages through the development of urban-edge Ag Parks and the production of agricultural resource assessments for regional planning efforts. A vibrant nexus of organic farm, education center and nature preserve, SAGE’s Sunol Ag Park in Alameda County provides beginning and immigrant farmers with land access and urban dwellers with a connection to their food. Kraus is now spearheading another game-changing project to create an agriculture and conservation resource area within the 7,400-acre Coyote Valley, just south of San Jose—the region’s largest and fastest growing city. She’s determined to preserve the invaluable connections between farmer and consumer, urban hub and working landscape.
Read Sibella’s blog post: Investing in our “AgGems” for Regional Vitality
