Bená Burda, Maggie’s Organics/Clean Clothes, Inc.2003 : Special Pioneer Award Bená Burda was chosen for her pioneering work, particularly with organic fiber products. Nomination letters cited her work to develop organic fiber products and fiber standards, to be the first to sell socks made with domestically produced certified organic wool, and to support a woman’s sewing cooperative in Nicaragua. She succeeded in convincing various organic corn growers to introduce organic cotton as their cover crop, which accomplished an often unattainable goal of having a cover crop that was revenue generating. Bená also pioneered the development of a post-harvest production system and certification protocols for organic cotton manufacturing and processing. |
