The Minister of the Environment, Cristina Narbona, has presented the awards corresponding to the first edition of the “Organic Food and Biodiversity” Awards 2007, organized by the Biodiversity Foundation. During this event, which was held today in Madrid, Cristina Narbona was accompanied by the director of the Biodiversity Foundation, María Artola.

Together with the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Spanish Society of Organic Agriculture, SEAE, collaborate in the organization of the first edition of these awards. These awards are intended to stimulate and recognise the efforts made by the different actors in the organic food sector in defence of this agri-food model.

The awards ceremony was held at the Ecocentro organic restaurant in Madrid, which was the winner last year of the II “Ecogourmets Awards for Organic Food”, precedents of the “Organic Food and Biodiversity” awards. Ecocentro was distinguished in the category of best specialized organic food store.

The “Organic Food and Biodiversity” 2007 awards are distributed in 9 categories, three of them with a cash prize of 3,000 euros. In this way, it has sought to promote the dissemination and development of organic food, especially in the Spanish market.

These awards are intended to highlight the work of people and institutions that are committed to organic farming. The awards with economic endowment have been given to the best producer of organic food, individual or family; the best consumer association specialized in this sector; and for the best journalistic work on organic food.

Likewise, six prizes have been awarded without economic endowment to the best company or cooperative producing organic food; to the best company or cooperative for the production of inputs usable in the production of organic food; to the best establishment specialising in the sale of organic products; to the best company in the organic food hospitality sector; the best work, reresearch or experimentation of organic agri-food; and to the person, association or entity, public or private, outstanding for its support of this agri-food model.

The jury for the 2007 “Organic Food and Biodiversity” Awards was made up of representatives of the Biodiversity Foundation, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Spanish Society of Organic Agriculture, SEAE.

All the winners have received a statue of the artist Antonio Ramos. The work, entitled “Principle” and made of polyester resin, should be analyzed as a permanent harmony between the earth and man, as a sensitive individual, who wants water and earth to sustain and nourish everything.