Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jennifer Smith
Communications and Public Relations Specialist
Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute
Office: 573-441-2743
Cell: 573-881-0386
Fax: 573-449-2398
jsmith@jeffersoninstitute.org 

Food & Society Policy Fellowship Announces New National Fellow

COLUMBIA, Mo. (Nov. 14, 2006) – The Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute is pleased to announce David Mas Masumoto has been awarded a national Food & Society Policy Fellowship for 2007-2008. This prestigious fellowship program funded by the Kellogg Foundation is highly competitive, with over 191 applicants this year for the eight fellowships available. The program provides a $60,000 stipend to the fellows over a two-year period to allow them to work on communications and media activities related to food and agriculture.

Masumoto, a third-generation farmer, grows organic peaches, nectarines and raisins on 80 acres outside of Fresno, Calif. He has extensive experience in educating the public about agriculture as an award-winning author and speaker. He is a columnist for The Fresno Bee, has authored seven books and written for New York Times, USA Today and Los Angeles Times. His book Epitaph for a Peach won the 1995 Julia Child Cookbook Award in the Literary Food Writing category and was a finalist for the 1996 James Beard Foundation Food Writing Award. He has delivered presentations to diverse audiences across the nation from conservationists to educators, artists to farmers, chefs to business leaders.

The Jefferson Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Missouri that conducts agricultural education and research projects. The institute was founded in 1997.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Smith at 573-441-2743 or jsmith@jeffersoninstitute.org .