Trish Griffiths wins gold

GroundCover™ Issue: 70 | 27 Aug 2007

Passion and commitment to the Australian grains industry, and her efforts in promoting the health benefits of grain-based foods, have won Trish Griffiths, the executive manager of Go Grains Health and Nutrition Ltd, the GRDC's inaugural Seed of Gold award.

Caption: Trish Griffits receives the inaugural Seed of Gold award from GRDC chairman Terry Enright.

The award was presented by GRDC chairman Terry Enright at the Agriculture Australia Conference in Melbourne.

Mr Enright said that Go Grains had members and participants from food industry companies, manufacturers and research and industry organisations, including CSIRO, the GRDC and BRI Australia Ltd, where Go Grains was first conceived by Ms Griffiths.

"Ms Griffiths has been the driving force behind Go Grains, which has achieved outstanding success in promoting the benefits to human health of eating foods based on cereal and pulse grains," he said.

"Go Grains has built up valuable resources to support the promotion of the health benefits of grain and grain-based foods in Australia and overseas, establishing an enviable reputation in the media," he said. "By commissioning and publicising reviews of scientific studies, Go Grains has shown Australian and overseas consumers the many health benefits of grain in their diets, such as reducing the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and bowel cancer.

"It has also been particularly successful in addressing negative consumer perceptions about carbohydrates in the diet.

"From humble beginnings, and despite an initial lack of industry enthusiasm, Ms Griffiths and Go Grains have gone from strength to strength."

Go Grains was incorporated in 2005, and Ms Griffiths - formerly an employee of BRI Australia Ltd where the concept began - was last month appointed executive manager of Go Grains Health and Nutrition Ltd.