The American Botanical Council (ABC) was recently honored by Nutrition Business Journal (NBJ) with one of the publication’s 2013 Industry Achievement Awards. The award was presented to ABC Founder and Executive Director Mark Blumenthal during a ceremony at the 17th annual NBJ Summit, held in Dana Point, Calif., July 22 to 25. The NBJ awards recognize the most noteworthy leaders in the nutrition, natural, organic, dietary supplement, and integrative medicine industries and extended communities.

The award was presented to Blumenthal by Todd Runestad, editor-in-chief of Functional Ingredients and Engredea, publications of New Hope Natural Media, the natural products industry media company that owns the NBJ and produces the NBJ Summit.

In a January press release announcing the 2013 award recipients, NBJ stated: “These are individuals and companies who are committed to advancing the audience of healthy, educated consumers and fostering a business atmosphere that encourages sustainability and better nutrition.” 

According to NBJ, ABC was chosen to receive the Education Award for “a refreshing willingness to ruffle some feathers with a series of well-researched reports on adulteration. The Council’s 100th issue of HerbalGram marks a long-term commitment to advancing education in the herb and botanicals industry.” NBJ also honored ABC with a full-page profile in the January issue of their magazine. (Note: free registration to the NBJ website is required to access this article.)

According to Runestad, “The American Botanical Council, with Mark Blumenthal at its helm, is now recipient of a record three awards from Nutrition Business Journal, including a Lifetime Achievement Award. Clearly, there’s more life left in the Herb Cowboy! In 2013, ABC both published its 100th edition of the seminal HerbalGram glossy print publication, and also continued its vital work in exposing and educating the industry and public about the problems with botanical ingredient adulteration.” 

“We are deeply grateful to the editors of Nutrition Business Journal and other industry leaders who chose ABC to receive the NBJ Award in Education this year,” said Blumenthal.

“ABC genuinely appreciates the acknowledgement from members of the natural products industry for our work in improving awareness of the growing body of scientific and clinical research supporting the many benefits that herbs and other plant-based materials offer in healthcare and selfcare,” Blumenthal continued. “In addition, we appreciate NBJ’s strong public support of our willingness to shine a light on the challenges and problems presented by accidental and intentional adulteration of herbal raw materials and extracts through our leadership of the ABC-AHP-NCNPR Botanical Adulterants Program.”

As noted by Runestad, this is the third time NBJ has recognized ABC with an award. In 2004, NBJ presented its Lifetime Achievement Award to Blumenthal for his many years of educational and advocacy services in the natural medicine and herbal research communities, and in 2007, ABC received the Industry Achievement Award for Education.
  
The 2013 NBJ award is an apt recognition for an especially noteworthy year for ABC: 2013 saw the 30th anniversary of its flagship journal HerbalGram, the 25th anniversary of the organization, and the publication of the 100th issue of HerbalGram.