Today, NRDC announced the winners of its 2011 Growing Green Awards–extraordinary leaders in the field of sustainable food and agriculture who are making our food healthier for our bodies and the environment. Each year, NRDC recognizes farmers, food producers, businesses and bold thinkers who transforming the future of our food system.

NRDC launched its first Growing Green Awards back in 2009, and within these past few years, we’ve seen an explosion of interest in healthy, sustainable food. The White House now grows its own vegetables, and community gardens have flowered into urban neighborhoods. Some chain restaurants now proudly boast of antibiotic-free meat on their menus.

Leading the charge for change are consumers’ voices calling for fresh, nutritious food that doesn’t pollute our rivers or contribute to climate change–food that keeps local economies vibrant and local farmers producing the very best bounty for our families. As a country, we’re starting to realize that if we change the way we eat, we can reinvent how our food system works.

This isn’t about finishing everything on your plate because your mother told you to. It’s about rediscovering the joys of fresh, flavorful food, with an understanding and respect for the hands and the soil that feed us all.

Witness the transformation taking place as we offer a glimpse at a few pioneers among many, leaders in food and agriculture. This year’s recipients adeptly show us the promise and prosperity that comes with Growing Green.