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Inaugural award presented to the original locavore

March 14, 2011, St.
Catharines, Ont – The Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association (OFFMA) honoured
a true friend of the industry at the organization’s recent awards banquet at
Hernder Estate Winery.

March 14, 2011, St.
Catharines, Ont – The Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association (OFFMA) honoured
a true friend of the industry at the organization’s recent awards banquet at
Hernder Estate Winery.

Anita Stewart, culinary
activist, author, communicator and food lover was awarded the inaugural Ontario
Farm Fresh Food Ambassador Award.

Jesse Lauzon (left) presents Anita Stewart with the Ontario Farm Fresh Food Ambassador Award.

The award was created to
recognize an individual who has made a public commitment to promote local food
and local food producers. This award was designed to also recognize someone
who, because of their beliefs and actions, has inspired others to support
Ontario farmers. The winner is someone who ‘walks the talk’, someone who
believes in the Ontario agricultural industry and is proud to sing the praises
of those who toil to bring top quality, fresh, healthy food to our tables.

“Once the criteria was
set, the selection was easy,” said OFFMA’s incoming president, Jesse Lauzon,
from Springridge Farm. “At every turn, Anita uses her voice to bring the widest
possible attention to the values of local and regional food.”

Anita’s achievements
range from many cookbook creations, the most recent being Anita Stewart’s
Canada: The Food, The Recipes, The Stories to being founder of the World’s
Largest BBQ, which has morphed into Canada’s Food Day.