The Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry of the Environment announces the first edition of the “Organic Food and Biodiversity Awards 2007”. Together with this entity, 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 this event.

These awards aim to stimulate and recognise the efforts that the different actors in the organic food sector make in defence of this agri-food model.

Thus, the organising and collaborating entities, through the call for this competition, combine their objectives and priorities in terms of food and biodiversity conservation to defend a model of management of agrosystems. A model that combines the production of quality food and the conservation of natural resources such as water, soils, seeds and autochthonous, domestic and wild breeds, the landscape and rural culture.

These awards are announced in nine categories, divided into prizes with a cash prize of €3,000 each and prizes without a financial endowment.

Prizes with a cash prize of €3,000:

A-1. To the best producer of organic food, individual or family.

A-2. To the best consumer association specialized in this sector.

A-3. The best journalistic work published in any media (press, radio, television or online media) on organic food.

Prizes without financial endowment:

B-1. To the best company or cooperative producing organic food.

B-2. To the best company or cooperative for the production of inputs used in the production of organic food.

B-3. To the best establishment specialising in the sale of organic products.

B-4. To the best company in the organic food hospitality sector.

B-5. For the best work, reresearch or experimentation of organic agri-food.

B-6. To the person, association or entity, public or private, outstanding for its support of this agri-food model.

Farmers, ranchers, companies, associations, public and private entities, journalists and people who carry out their professional activity in Spain are eligible for these awards.

The deadline for admission of candidatures opens today and will end on March 31, 2007. The documentation must be sent to the Spanish Society of Organic Agriculture, SEAE. Camí del Port, s/n, ECA Building, 1st Courtyard. P.O. Box 397 E. 46474 Catarroja, Valencia.

The rules of the “Organic Food and Biodiversity Awards 2007” can be consulted on the SEA’s website, www.agroecologia.net or by e-mail to the address coordinadorseae@agroecologia.net.