USA: Honorees announced for OTA’s 2013 Organic Leadership Awards

Selected from 26 nominations, the Organic Trade Association’s 2013 Organic Leadership Awards will be presented to a passionate couple who have dedicated their lives to organic for almost three decades, a professional farmer who has advanced practices for growing organic tree fruit, and two emerging leaders on a mission to create meaningful opportunities for military veterans in organic.

These leaders will be recognized at OTA’s Annual Awards Celebration during Natural Products Expo East at the Baltimore Museum of Industry on 25 September 2013. Awardees, nominated by their peers and chosen unanimously by OTA’s Board of Directors, are:

Arran and Ratana Stephens, Nature’s Path Foods, who have fearlessly and passionately devoted their lives to the growth and success of the organic food movement, will receive the Growing Organic Industry Award

Kyle Mathison, Stemilt Growers, a fourth generation farmer and co-owner of Stemilt Growers LLC of Wenatchee, WA, comes from a multi-generation tree fruit growing family. He will receive the the Organic Farmer of the Year Award

Karen and Colin Archipley, Archi’s Acres/VSAT, founded the Veterans Sustainable Agriculture Training (VSAT) program in 2007 at their organic hydroponic farm, Archi’s Acres, in Escondido, CA. They will receive the Rising Star Award.

OTA