We are excited to announce that year two of the Good Food Awards has begun! As the first national initiative to recognize food crafters for excellence in taste and sustainability, we received 780 entries from 41 States last year. This year, we are shooting for all 50 States and 1000 entries. We would love your help to spread the word far and wide that the entry period has begun. As an organization with an exemplary network of Michigan producers, we would appreciate any efforts you could take to notify possible entrants about the awards. 

The awards helps to elevate food producers who strengthen agricultural communities and redefine craftsmanship in their industry by providing concrete business opportunities and high-profile national press to winning producers. All winners will be honored at a ceremony and invited to sell at a 15,000 person public marketplace at the San Francisco Ferry Building, as well as be able to proudly display the Good Food Awards Seal on their winning product all year long. Last year’s 71 winners also received some unexpected perks, from special placements in Whole Foods Market and Williams Sonoma stores nationwide to media coverage in the San Francisco Chronicle, Atlantic Monthly, Washington Post, and New York Times.

All beer, charcuterie, cheese, chocolate, coffee, pickles, preserves, and (new category!) spirits are welcome to enter the blind tasting with Alice Waters, Michael Pollan, Ruth Reichl, Amanda Hesser, Nell Newman and many more judges. Interested producers may review the sustainability criteria and enter online at www.goodfoodawards.org. Deadline for entry is September 1.

Finalists will be notified in November and the Ceremony takes place in January 2012. Entering is a simple two-step process which involves filling out an online form and then shipping a sample. Attached is an e-mailable PDF that links to the Entry Form, please feel free to circulate it or use the brief text below in a newsletter or calendar listing, or tweet about it. Thank you for helping to make this truly wide-reaching, and please feel free to contact us with any questions.