Photographic competition marks Syngenta’s 10th anniversary
To mark its 10th anniversary, Syngenta has launched a photographic competition with the theme: ‘Bringing plant potential to life’. Open to both amateur and professional photographers, terrific prizes are on offer with first, second and third prizes of $8000, $5000 and $3000, all sponsored by Canon.
Deadline for submission of entries is 20th June. More information can be found here in English, French or German. Or for inspiration, visit www.syngentaphoto.com which features the ongoing submissions and showcases winners and entries from previous years.
IFAJ-Alltech young leader award winners announced
Ten young agricultural journalists from around the world have won awards
to attend the 2010 IFAJ annual congress in Belgium. More
Issue February 2010
Content
Book now for the IFAJ Congress in Belgium
Ostend's beautiful beachside Art Deco Thermae Palace is the location for the Belgian Congress.
Register now for the IFAJ’s 2010 Congress in Belgium - the main conference runs from Saturday 17 April to Wednesday 21, with additional tours being held both before and after. The main congress is based at Ostend, the town which became known as “The queen of Belgian sea-side resorts”, favoured in the 19th century by the royalty and aristocracy of the country. Ostend is also famous for its esplanade, featuring the palatial art deco building, the Thermae Palace Hotel where the congress takes place. More..
IFAJ members meet in Berlin during Grune Woche
Dr. Klaus Schmidt; Head of Division of Culture and Communication; Mike Wilson, IFAJ-President, USA; Ilse Aigner; Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection; Raimund Hosch, Chief Executive Officer of Messe Berlin GmbH (left to right).
IFAJ country executives met in Berlin last month during Grune Woche (Green Week) to discuss developments in the organisation. On the eve of the 10 day international exhibition of food, agriculture and horticulture, delegates attended a welcome evening arranged by the foreign office and Messe Berlin, one of the IFAJ sponsors. Amongst the information presented later on in the IFAJ meetings were the results of a four-part survey that had been conducted prior to the meeting to find out what each country's Guild members most valued in their organisation. More..
Christian Schule wins prize in Germany
Presentation at Green Week in Berlin of the Association of German Agricultural Journalists' (VDAJ) communication prize to Christian Schüle (“Die Zeit”) by Ilse Aigner, Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection and Gerd Sonnleitner, right, President of the German Farmer’s Association.
This year’s communication prize awarded by the Association of German Agricultural Journalists (VDAJ) went to Christian Schule.
His report “Unser Erdmann” in the Die Zeit newspaper described life and work in the Erdmann milk processing company, in a way that was easily understood and fascinating for the general public. He received the prize in mid-January at the Green Week food fair from German agriculture minister Ilse Aigner.
Serbian event promotes women in agriculture
The Agropress Association for Agricultural Journalists in Serbia co-hosted a three-day event (January 29-31) to promote rural development and participation of women in agriculture, in the Sumadija exhibition area in Kragujevac, in cooperation with USAID Agribusiness Project, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, GTZ in Serbia, and the host city. Over 100 exhibitors participated, and topics included conditions for rural women, rural development issues, and agricultural mechanisation. The main goals were promotion of rural entrepreneurship and women in agriculture, and rural tourism and crafts received special attention, said Agropress Board of Directors President Goran Djakovic. The event also promoted organic food and provincial cuisine, and featured traditional string orchestras and choirs. More...
Irish IFAJ member Maeve Bracken survives the earthquake in Haiti
Maeve Bracken and a fellow delegate at the IFAJ Congress in Japan in 2007.
Frequent IFAJ Congress participant Maeve Bracken from Ireland survived the earthquake that has left a death toll estimated at 200,000 in Haiti. Having retired from her position as manager of international media relations for Bord Bia, she was nearing the end of a two-year volunteer assignment for the Catholic missionary organisation, Viatores Christi in Haiti. She had been working with 33 children in the special needs unit of an orphanage.
New editor seeks feedback on newsletter content
Hello, I'm Rachel Queenborough and I've just taken over the collating and editing of this IFAJ newsletter, from Liz Harfull. I've been a member of the British Guild of Agricultural Journalists since 1997. I'm a PR consultant based in Ironbridge, in Shropshire (150 miles north west of London, and just east of Wales), and have a particular interest in livestock farming.
As a new editor, I'd like to hear your views on what kind of features and articles you would like to read in the newsletter. The plan is to publish it approximately monthly, and continue to include articles on the activities of people and Guilds in different countries, as well as providing links to information on professional development. So what topics/information would you like to read (or not read) about in this newsletter? Please email your opinions and ideas to the editor.
Belgian White Blue cattle - to be seen during the IFAJ Annual Congress
On one of five tours organised for the IFAJ Congress in Belgium this April, delegates can learn more about the famous Belgian White Blue cattle.