03/08/06 Orvis

Repeatedly on Food Forethought we spotlight companies like Ben and Jerry's that hypocritically don't walk their talk, so it is always a pleasure to come across firms committed to doing more than simply improving their bottom line. Orvis, the sporting and hunting outfitter is a wonderful example of stewardship. Thumbing through their recent catalog I came across a picture of a cheetah running with the caption . "The fastest animal on earth is running out of time" Orvis has established the Cheetah Conservation Fund where they match customer contributions dollar for dollar. Executives at Orvis have used proceeds to introduce a Livestock Guard Dog program in Africa to save the fewer than 15,000 remaining cheetahs. Anatolian Shepard's are trained to frighten cheetahs away from livestock affording Africans an option other than killing. To date in Namibia alone, 1000 cheetah lives have been spared as a result of the efforts of Orvis . Given the hundreds of outdoor catalogs I receive, one now stands apart. Guess where I will be buying my next fly fishing shirt? I'm Susan Allen and this is Food Forethought.