The regional winners of the 2012 Environmental Respect Awards (ERA)  have now been announced with two of TFI's members - Crop Production Services and Growmark FS - securing four out of the five awards. As I noted in my earlier blog entry, the competion was fierce, so congratulations to all the winners! I eagerly await naming of the national ERA winner here in Washington, D.C.  in July.

Five Ag Retail Businesses Honored
With Regional Environmental Respect Awards

WILLOUGHBY, Ohio (April 5, 2012) – Five top farm supply retail businesses have been selected as Environmental Respect Award regional winners in the United States for 2012. Winners were selected March 28 in Willoughby. The winners are (alphabetized by state):

Crop Production Services................................. Wynne, Arkansas

Crop Production Services................................. Vernalis, California

Growmark FS....................................................... Milford, Delaware

Crop Production Services................................. Oakland, Illinois

South Dakota Wheat Growers.......................... Chamberlain, South Dakota

In addition to Regional Awards, the panel of judges selected Environmental Respect Award winners for Land Management, businesses that protect the environment while controlling vegetation along roadsides and near power lines; and Spirit of Respect, an award for past winning businesses that show continuing environmental spirit. These winners are: 

Land Management:

Horizon Environmental Services, Inc............... Durango, Colorado

Spirit of Respect Award:

St. Clair Service Company.................................. Belleville, Illinois

 The Environmental Respect Awards are the agricultural industry’s highest recognition for environmental stewardship among U.S. agricultural retailers, those who serve farmers and ranchers with the nutrients, pest control and agronomic information critical to effective crop production.

A panel of industry experts gathers each year to recognize achievement in environmental stewardship, professional excellence, and community involvement. The winners above won the award based on evidence of excellence in site design, in-plant storage and handling procedures, emergency preparedness and response, proper application and leadership in safety and stewardship among customers and employees.

Members of the 2012 selection committee were, Dr. Raymond Forney, DuPont Crop Protection Global Stewardship, Wilmington, DE; Jeff Green, DuPont Crop Protection, Wilmington, Del.; Michelle Hummel, Agricultural Retailers Association, Washington, D.C.; Kathy Mathers, The Fertilizer Institute, Washington, D.C.; Mike Wilson, Wabash Valley Farm Service, Browns, IL; Steve Mossbarger, Crop Production Services, Washington Court House, OH; Doug Busdecker, The Andersons, Inc., Maumee, OH; and Paul Schrimpf, CropLife magazine, Willoughby, OH.

“DuPont is pleased to congratulate the winners of the 2012 Environmental Respect Awards and applauds their accomplishment in environmental stewardship,” said Rik Miller, president, DuPont Crop Protection.  “These leaders are helping to advance environmental safety as well as the safe use of agricultural products, and we hope they will inspire others who share our passion and commitment to elevate environmental stewardship around the world.” 

Regional, Land Management and Spirit winners will receive the distinctive Environmental Respect Award personalized crystal sculpture, a statewide press campaign geared toward select print and broadcast media, and a public relations kit. These winners will travel to Washington, D.C. in July to be honored alongside their peers at a special ceremony on Capitol Hill.

The Environmental Respect Award is the premier award in agricultural stewardship among agricultural retailers and distributors around the world. Since its inception in 1990, more than 5,500 businesses in the U.S. have shared their stories of environmental respect, product safety standards, and customer and community outreach, and more than 350 have earned state awards. In the last seven years, the international extension of the Environmental Respect Awards has seen involvement from more than 250 businesses in 25 countries. The effort is sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection and is managed and conducted by CropLife magazine and Farm Chemicals International magazine.