FORT COLLINS – Temple Grandin, Colorado State University professor of animal science, is among a handful of luminaries being honored at the 2016 James Beard Foundation Awards ceremony in Chicago today. Grandin, world renowned as a leader in the field of humane animal handling, is being inducted into the James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America.
The James Beard Foundation’s Who’s Who of Food and Beverage in America is a group of the most accomplished food and beverage professionals in the country. Others being inducted alongside Grandin include Winemaker Gina Gallo and Ed Levine, founder of the food-and-science website Serious Eats.
Though they represent a diverse cross-section of the food and beverage industry — from chefs to journalists, farmers to business executives and scholars — each has been identified by his or her peers as having displayed remarkable talent and achievement. Every member of the Who’s Who has contributed in some substantial way to America’s constantly evolving culinary scene.
Grandin is an internationally recognized leader in animal handling innovations, and her expertise has been utilized by major corporations as well as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where she has trained auditors in animal care at livestock processing plants.
The CSU professor was the subject of a feature film about her life called Temple Grandin starring Claire Danes. Last month she was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and recently hosted a Reddit “Ask Me Anything” session about her work that quickly became the most popular Science Reddit AMA ever.
Grandin’s uncanny knack for thinking in pictures has allowed her to connect with animals in ways most people never could. Her unique ability has completely altered the way livestock — and their right to be treated humanely — is viewed. Her successful innovations have led to more than half the cattle in North America being raised and processed in systems designed for humane handling by Grandin.
Established in 1990, the James Beard Awards recognize culinary professionals for excellence and achievement in their fields and further the Foundation’s mission to celebrate, nurture, and honor America’s diverse culinary heritage through programs that educate and inspire. Each award category has an individual committee made up of industry professionals who volunteer their time to oversee the policies, procedures, and selection of judges for their respective Awards program.
For more information, visit jamesbeard.org/awards.
Source: Colorado State University
