American Vegetable Grower Information

American Vegetable Grower magazine has recognized several growers over the past six years through its Grower Achievement Award. Established in 2001 with vegetable growers and associations submitting nominations at the year's close for the inaugural Grower Achievement Award to be presented in 2002, the program has become a well-known, prestigious honor for leaders in the vegetable industry. Designed to recognize grower operations that serve as role models for the industry, the award is presented annually by American Vegetable Grower in cooperation with the United Fresh Produce Association (United), as well as Syngenta Seed/ROGERS Brand, which has generously sponsored the award program every year. Nominations are evaluated based on growers' achievements in areas including innovative, consumer-oriented marketing efforts; commitment to produce quality and food safety; technological innovation; and leadership, activism, outreach, and environmental stewardship. At the inaugural Grower Achievement Award presentation during United's Annual Produce Conference and Exposition in Orlando, FL, in February 2002, the magazine's group editor at the time, Rick Melnick, explained the spirit of the award. "We need to be able to look beyond our competitive state and make sure that what we do works not only toward our own personal successes, but the common good of growers everywhere," Melnick said. "Not only that, we need to stand up and publicly recognize those growers who do this as a matter of course, so that more growers will rise up and follow their lead. This new awards program is one means to that end." Nearly six years later, American Vegetable Grower, United, and Syngenta Seeds/ROGERS brand maintain that commitment. "After talking with the winners, you come away with an understanding of the passion they have for what they do," said Dan Burdett, head of vegetables, NAFTA for Syngenta Seeds/ ROGERS brand, at the 2004 Grower Achievement Award ceremony. The winner of the Grower Achievement Award joins colleagues and policy makers at United's Washington Public Policy Conference in Washington D.C. The winner is recognized and honored during the high-profile policy conference as the recipient of the Grower Achievement Award. The award presentation was held during the first two years at United's Annual Produce Conference and Exposition, but was moved to the organization's Washington Public Policy Conference in 2004. "This is the first time we have presented the award at United's Washington Public Policy Conference, but I can't think of a more appropriate location," said Richard Jones, who was then AVG's group editor. "This conference is based on the idea of getting involved and improving things not just for your own businesses, but for the industry as a whole. That's one of the key things we look for in a Grower Achievement Award winner, and it's certainly something that Michael Farms (the 2004 winner) has done over the years." At the 2007 conference, winners Vic and Chris Anthony, Anthony Farms, Scandinavia, WI, were honored in the presence of the now former Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns, who spoke at the conference and thanked vegetable producers for their attention to quality and commitment to food safety. Grower Achievement Award recipients often express the honor and event as a hallmark of their careers in vegetable production that punctuates their commitment to excellence. "Winning this award is a huge honor for Vic and I and for all the staff at Anthony Farms," said Chris Anthony after the 2007 ceremony. "We are in a business that we are very passionate about and we work hard at it. It really is an honor to be recognized for some of the things that we are trying to achieve in our business." Winners and nominees hail from all different regions of the country, producing a variety of different vegetable crops or specializing in only a few. The operations recognized range in size from a few hundred acres to several thousand, all with the common bond of leadership and innovation.