The Conservation Council of North Carolina honored state Rep. Jean Farmer- Butterfield, D-Wilson, as Representative of the Year at its annual Green Tie Awards that was held recently in Raleigh.

Farmer-Butterfield was given the Representative of the Year award to acknowledge her long commitment and dedication to the environment and environmental justice issues.

Farmer-Butterfield’s passionate advocacy for her constituents has made her a respected voice in the State House, the news release stated. In 2007, she impressed the environmental community by proposing an amendment to a renewable energy bill which, if adopted, would have given preference to hog-to-energy systems that use cleaner technology.

The amendment ultimately failed, but her willingness to stand up to the powerful swine industry while advocating for cleaner energy technologies was impressive.

“Jean Farmer-Butterfield is the ideal person to win this award because she doesn’t consider herself an environmentalist, but year after year earns high marks for her voting record because her passion for social justice is closely intertwined with protecting the environment," said Nina Szlosberg, board president for Conservation Council of North Carolina.

CCNC is a statewide lobbying organization dedicated to protecting, preserving, and enhancing North Carolina’s natural environment. CCNC has been working to protect North Carolina’s environment.

Their vision for the future of North Carolina is that we will all better understand and appreciate North Carolina’s natural environment, work to protect it, and take responsibility for creating public policy.