Gar Tootelian Inc. Honored for Environmental Stewardship
Reedley, CA (PRWEB) June 24, 2015 -- Gar Tootelian Inc. has been selected as one of four North American Region winners, and one of the 14 agribusiness companies worldwide, to receive the 2015 Environmental Respect Award. Winners were selected in early April at the headquarters of Meister Media Worldwide in Willoughby, Ohio.
The Environmental Respect Awards, sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection and presented by CropLife® magazine, are the agricultural industry’s highest recognition for environmental stewardship. The Awards are given to North American agricultural retailers, those who serve farmers and ranchers with the nutrients, crop protection and agronomic information and services critical to effective crop production. Each year a panel of industry experts gathers to recognize achievement in environmental stewardship, professional excellence, and community involvement.
2015 marks the program’s 25th year honoring stewardship, safety and community outreach efforts of the world’s leading agricultural retailers and distributors.
“DuPont and Gar Tootelian Inc. have had a long and successful partnership over the last five-plus decades, and I believe it is because of our shared core values,” says Scott C. Chase, retail account manager at DuPont Crop Protection. “These core values champion personal integrity and respect for people and the environment above all else.”
Gar Tootelian Inc won the award based on excellence in site design, in-plant storage and handling procedures, and leadership in safety and stewardship among customers and employees. The company has taken many extra steps to minimalize the environmental impact of their business including: 1) a newly erected tank farm and fertilizer blending plant built to comply with California’s tough earthquake and environmental standards which includes 12” thick concrete, double matted rebar foundation and containment sufficient to hold a spill 10 times the size of the largest tank; 2) 30,000 gallons of water storage for fire suppression with 24-hour fire and security monitoring; 3) 31 staff PCAs with more than 800 years combined experience, along with specialists in water, regulatory compliance and plant nutrition to help growers comply with Cal-OSHA, DPR, EPA, Global Gap and nitrogen/phosphate management regulations.
Gar Tootelian Inc. has worked hard to create and maintain a workplace that is safe for the employees, the community, and the environment. Gar, as it is known locally, has been incredibly active in the community, supporting local sports teams, FFA and 4-H groups, Clovis Medical Center and Fresno Chaffee Zoo. The company just completed a fundraising effort for its local Community Food Bank that used matching funds to raise $75,000.
“Environmental respect is more than having clean shop floors and tight valves,” Chase says. “Environmental respect is about promoting the knowledge and technology that benefit the sustainability of an entire region for generations to come. Gar Tootelian Inc. is the pinnacle of this type of environmental respect in California.”
Each regional winner will receive a personalized, distinctive Environmental Respect Award crystal trophy and a public relations campaign.
“DuPont is pleased to congratulate the winners of the 2015 Environmental Respect Awards and applauds their accomplishment in environmental stewardship,” said Rik Miller, president, DuPont Crop Protection. “These leaders are helping to advance environmental safety as well as the safe use of agricultural products, and we hope they will inspire others who share our passion and commitment to elevate environmental stewardship around the world.”
“It’s through the conscientious efforts of these ag business and the crop producers they serve that this nation is assured of a safe and bountiful food supply,” said Paul Schrimpf, executive editor of CropLife® magazine. “We’re delighted to be able to gain them some recognition for their environmentalism.”
Thirteen regional winners will receive their trophies and four of those will be named Ambassador of Respect; one each from North America, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Europe/Middle East/Africa. A Spirit of Respect Award is also conferred to a past winner who has shown continuous improvement since their last honor.
Find more information on the Environmental Respect Awards at http://www.EnvironmentalRespect.com.
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For 25 years, the Environmental Respect Award has been the premier award in agricultural stewardship among agricultural retailers and distributors around the world. Since its inception in 1990, more than 6,000 businesses in the U.S. and Canada have shared their stories of environmental stewardship, sustainability, product safety standards, and customer and community outreach. More than 600 have earned state/provincial awards. Over the last 10 years, the international extension of the Environmental Respect Awards has seen involvement from more than 550 businesses in 30 countries. ERA 2015 marks the inauguration of a fully integrated and global selection and recognition process. The program is sponsored by DuPont Crop Protection and is managed and conducted by CropLife magazine and Farm Chemicals International magazine, Meister Media Worldwide
Michael DeLuca, Meister Media Worldwide, +1 (440) 602-9193, [email protected]
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