5.02.2008 - 07:00am ET

(CSRwire) COLD SPRING, NY - May 2, 2008 - The Glynwood Center is calling for nominations for their sixth annual Harvest Awards. The Awards recognize farmers, organizations, and businesses across the United States who demonstrate innovation and leadership in support of regional agriculture and sustainable food systems. Candidates can include visionary farmers who not only raise amazing food but have also developed innovations in growing, marketing, and collaborating with their community in new and exciting ways as well as inventive individuals, organizations or businesses developing cutting-edge models to connect people with sustainable, regionally-produced food.

Please help us recognize outstanding work from around the country by nominating someone whose work you admire. This year's categories include:

The Glynwood Harvest Farmer Award recognizes a leader in the farm community who is practicing sustainable production methods and has developed cutting edge approaches to production, processing or marketing. Of particular interest are farmers who have shown leadership in supporting their regional agricultural community through unique collaborative efforts with other farmers.

The Glynwood Harvest Connecting Communities, Farmers and Food Award recognizes outstanding work done by individuals, businesses or organizations that link farmers and the broader community in building a regional food system. Their work can be focused around unique grassroots efforts, the development of creative partnerships between diverse segments of the food system including urban and rural populations, efforts that connect locally grown food with consumers who typically lack access to fresh foods, and similar endeavors to foster a robust, inclusive, and sustainable food system.

The Glynwood Harvest Wave of the Future Award recognizes an individual, business or organization that is developing innovative approaches to address the critical challenges facing our food system. Examples include creative approaches to climate change, food delivery systems and regional infrastructure, and affordable land and agricultural models for beginning farmers.

The Glynwood Harvest Good Food for Health Award recognizes an individual, business or organization that is at the forefront of creating ways to use sustainable, regionally-produced food to improve the health of children, the elderly, and consumers that traditionally do not have access to fresh, healthy food.

This year, we are particularly interested in projects that demonstrate one or more of the following:
- the farm/food/health connection
- the development of innovative policy models
- the advancement of agriculture in communities of color
- the key roles being played by young leaders

How to Nominate Someone:

Please visit our website www.glynwood.org for nomination details, information on past winners, and to make an electronic submission. To receive nomination forms via snail mail, please contact Kim Vargo at kvargo@glynwood.org or (845) 265-3338. Additional information about Glynwood Center and past Harvest Award winners can also be found on our website. Nominations must be postmarked or e-mailed no later than July 21, 2008.

About the HARVEST AWARDS and GLYNWOOD CENTER

The Glynwood Harvest Awards honor individuals, organizations, and businesses across the United States who demonstrate innovation and leadership supporting regional agricultural and sustainable food systems. Glynwood Center created the Harvest Awards program in 2003 to help to identify and disseminate "best practice" ideas and to inspire others to take action within their own communities.

Glynwood Center is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is Community Stewardship. It helps communities address change in ways that conserve local culture and natural resources while strengthening economic well-being and local leadership. To accomplish these goals, Glynwood develops and implements educational and community-based programs. In addition, through its national and international network of like-minded professionals and organizations, Glynwood also gathers, develops, tests and shares innovative ideas and initiatives from around the world that may be effective in local communities in the Hudson Valley and metropolitan area.

A major focus of Glynwood's current work is the Agriculture Initiative, with goals that include strengthening the regional food system in the Hudson Valley and surrounding metropolitan area by helping communities understand the value of regional agriculture and develop strategies to encourage farmers to stay on their land, and sharing what is learned with other regions facing similar challenges across the country.

For more information please contact: