Nation's Largest HMO and Leading Culinary Institute among Those Honored with 2006 Glynwood...

NEW YORK -- Ceremony in New York City on October 23 to Honor Both Large Organizations and Small Farmers Who Have Increased Access to Fresh, Healthy, Regional Food

Glynwood Center (www.glynwood.org) will celebrate breakthroughs in the regional food movement at its fourth annual Harvest

"Since the inception of the Harvest Awards in 2003, we have highlighted creative work going on across the country that strengthens support for regional farmers and increases access to fresh, healthy food. Our goal is to inspire others to join this growing movement," says Judith LaBelle, President of Glynwood Center.

The Fourth Annual Glynwood Harvest Award winners are:

Glynwood Harvest Farmer Award
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Sam and Denise Hendren, Clover Mead Farm, Keeseville (Essex County),
New York
Sam and Denise Hendren have created a highly successful grass-based
dairy and artisan cheese-making business while leading the effort to
strengthen the farming community in the Adirondacks. They provide a
superb example of the ways in which innovative farmers contribute to
the economic strength of their community, protect its traditional
character and enhance its environmental quality and quality of life.

Glynwood Harvest Good Neighbor Award
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Brad Matthews, Director of Purchasing, and Paul Wigsten,
Buyer/Purchasing Agent The Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park,
New York
Through the efforts of Brad Matthews and Paul Wigsten, the Culinary
Institute of America has developed a program which resulted in almost
$400,000 worth of purchases from regional farmers in 2005. They also
have helped teach other institutions how to effectively source local
foods and are dedicated to teaching young chefs the pleasures and
logistics of using fresh, local ingredients.

Glynwood Harvest Award for Connecting Communities, Farmers and Food
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New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Hugh Joseph, Executive Director
Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University,
Boston, MA, and Community Teamwork, Inc., Lowell, MA
The New Entry Sustainable Farming Project has developed effective
programs to help immigrants and refugees with agrarian backgrounds
start successful agriculture careers. Immigrant and refugee farmers
appear to be the only expanding category of farmers in the county, but
they cannot succeed without the type of outreach, training and
technical assistance programs provided by New Entry and the other
programs that have been modeled after it.

Glynwood Harvest Award for Working at the Intersection of Health and
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Local Food
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Kaiser Permanente Comprehensive Food Policy
Lynn Garske, Environmental Stewardship Manager
Jan Sanders, National Nutritional Services Director
Oakland, California
Kaiser Permanente, the largest nonprofit health plan in the United
States, has recognized that "Promoting the consumption of locally
grown seasonal food fits well with the mission of health care."(1) It
has taken the lead in the health care industry through a multi-year
strategy for increasing access to healthier food for patients,
employees and visitors at its facilities and for residents of
communities it serves.

Glynwood Harvest Award for Wave of the Future
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The Strolling of the Heifers, Orly Munzing, Executive Director,
Brattleboro, VT
Pamplona may have the Running of the Bulls, but thanks to Orly
Munzing, Brattleboro has the Strolling of the Heifers. Accompanied by
4-H Club members and other young people, 100 flower-bedecked heifers
stroll down Main Street to kick off an annual four-day celebration
that promotes awareness of the importance of agriculture. Funds raised
support projects that link farmers and students in hands-on learning.

The Glynwood Harvest Awards will be celebrated at a special event at the Beacon restaurant in New York City. Beacon chef Waldy Malouf, along with chefs Bill Telepan, Michel Nischan, Bill Yosses and Jeff Raider, all of whom specialize in working with local farmers, will create dishes for the luncheon featuring foods produced by the Farmer Award winner and other regional farms.

Glynwood Center, a non-profit organization in Cold Spring, NY, began calling attention to critical trends affecting our nation's food system in 2003 by creating the Harvest Awards program to honor local and regional farmers and others who support sustainable agriculture in innovative ways.

(1)Kaiser Permanente Farmers' Market Resource Guide, iii.