The McGregor Company was honored as the first Spirit of Respect Award winner at the DuPont Country Club Friday, July 24 as part of a week-long Environmental Respect Awards celebration and stewardship forum. Winners were selected May 6 in Willoughby, Ohio.
The Spirit of Respect Award, a new addition to the Environmental Respect Awards, is open to all past U.S. regional and national winners that have won awards three or more years ago and is focused on one of the program’s main objectives: to encourage continuous improvement of environmental stewardship initiatives among U.S. ag supply retailers.
“U.S. retailers are on the front lines of stewardship and are an important part of the industry’s daily efforts to protect the environment and ensure that agricultural products are used safely,” says Dr. Raymond Forney, global stewardship manager for DuPont Crop Protection. “It is our intent with The Environmental Respect Awards and the new Spirit of Respect Award to partner with our retailers customers in demonstration of a firm commitment to safe and sustainable agriculture.”
Representatives from the company received a personalized, Environmental Respect Award crystal sculpture at the ceremony and participated in a stewardship forum, hearing speakers from the World Wildlife Fund, the Center for Global Food Issues, CropLife International, The Fertilizer Institute, the Ag Retailers Association and Croplife America.
“DuPont is pleased to congratulate the winners of the 2010 Environmental Respect Awards and applauds their accomplishment in environmental stewardship,” said Jim Collins, president, DuPont Crop Protection. “These leaders are helping to advance environmental safety and the safe use of agricultural products, and we hope they will inspire others who share our passion and desire to elevate environmental stewardship around the world.”
“For 20 years we have had the privilege of honoring hundreds of ag retail supply businesses for their clear commitment to environmental stewardship,” says K. Elliott Nowels, Environmental Respect Awards program director. “With this new award, it is our intent to encourage those retailers that have already won to not only keep at it, but to take it even further. We want to create a new set of great stories and fine examples in an industry that is increasingly focused on the environment and food safety.”
More information on the Environmental Respect Awards can be found at www.environmentalrespect.com.