ifaj news March 05-v - International Federation of Agricultural ...

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 1March 2005World Trade OrganisationAgricultural Committee chairmanTim Groser, European UnionCommissioner of AgricultureMariann Fischer Boel and DanishPrime Minister and Minister of thePress Anders Fogh Rasmussen willspeak at a special one-dayconference in Copenhagen onJune 6 to mark the 100thanniversary.They will be joined by inviteddelegates representing membercountries of the InternationalFederation of AgriculturalJournalists for the program.United States Secretary ofAgriculture Mike Johanns has alsobeen invited to participate, but isyet to confirm, according to Guildspokesman Niels Jorgensen.“When we, a couple of years ago,started planning how to celebrateour 100 years’ anniversary wenewsInternational Federation of Agricultural JournalistsWorld leaders headline Danishjournalists’ conferenceAn impressive line-up of agricultural leaders from around the world will cometogether in Denmark to help celebrate the centenary of the Danish Guild ofAgricultural Journalists – Dansk Landbrugspresse, DL.WTO agricultural committeechairman Tim GroserEU Commissioner of AgricultureMariann Fischer Boelsoon agreed upon threekeywords - journalism, agricultureand international,” Niels said.The conference will be held at theRoyal Veterinary and AgriculturalUniversity of Copenhagen.Delegates will be welcomed bythe head of the University, PerHolten-Andersen, before theevent is officially opened byDansk Landbrugspresse chairmanTorsten Buhl at 10.30am.Danish Agricultural Councilmanaging director Laus Bustrupwill moderate the morningsession which will involve a seriesof 15 to 20 minute presentationsin English.Mr Groser will speak aboutdismantling of support in theindustrialised countries andincreased access to major marketsMarch 2005for developing countries, whileMr Fogh Rasmussen will addresswater, food and world peace.Mrs Fischer Boel will looked atfood safety and food quality,while technological developmentsand their possibilities will bediscussed by the UN’s Food andAgricultural Organisation directorgeneral Jacques Diouf.Agriculture, nature and theenvironment will be address byDanish Agricultural Councilpresident and president of theCommittee of ProfessionalAgricultural Organisations(COPA), Peter Gemælke.After lunch, there will be ageneral debate, with questionsfrom the audience.Mr Jorgensen said the Guild haddecided to create a special book,dealing with the conferencethemes, with contributions of upto 2500 words from the speakers,as well as Danish politicians andopinion leaders.“The book will be sent toeveryone invited to theconference as well as otherinterested persons in Denmarkand abroad,” he said.Copies will be available from earlyMay. Mail orders and furtherinformation are available byemailing ncj@2vejs.dk.1In this issue...2 IFAJ competitiondeadlines3 A special look at theAsian tsunami6 2005 Congress specialfeature8 Getting better - writingtips for all9 Bound for Brazil10 IFAJ World Roundup11 Getting to know our guilds- the UkraineJoin theconferenceon-lineJournalists around the worldwill be able to participate inthe Danish conference as itunfolds. The Guild willtransmit the entire programlive via the internet.“Unfortunately, we havehad to limit invitations tothe event to tworepresentatives per membercountry of the IFAJ,”spokesman Niels Jorgensensaid.“But in spite of that, youhave the chance to join us.We will transmit the wholeconference live on theinternet, so you can sit inyour office or living roomand follow it.”To participate, go towww.agrijournalists.dk,which is being set up forthe event. To view theproceedings make sure youhave Windows Media Playerinstalled. If you do not, youcan download it from thesite.The conference will open at10.30 local Danish time(9.30 am GMT).After the conference a onehourlong edited summaryof the seminar will also beavailable on the site.

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 2Markey’s musings...NEWS ROUND UPChange can be difficult, but itcan also move an organisationforward. I believe that iswhat’s happening with theIFAJ and its efforts to providegenuine services and benefitsto agricultural journalists,editors, photographers andcommunicators around theworld.The Executive Committeerecently held its annualJanuary meeting in Berlin, inconjunction with Greenweek,Europe’s largest consumerfood fair.During this time we continuedto build on the more dynamicformat first introduced to IFAJexecutive meetings in Dublinlast September. The aim isprovide every delegate withthe opportunity to debateand discuss relevant issuesfacing IFAJ, and theagricultural journalists werepresent, in the years ahead.The Berlin meeting was alsodifferent because it providedadded opportunities forworking journalists – a farmvisit and an exclusive pressbriefing with EUCommissioner of AgriculturalMariann Fisher Boel. Theseinnovations were onlypossible because of thesupport we received fromMesse Berlin.Many important issues wereraised by members of theexecutive during the fourdays, particularly relating tothe direction the IFAJ shouldtake in the future.I believe IFAJ needs to focuson professional developmentat congresses and atGreenweek, we need toencourage and developagricultural journalism in newEU member states, and weneed to continue working onways to make theorganisation more relevant toits members.While I believe freedom ofspeech is a very importantissue, we are not a politicalorganisation. As journalists,we must embrace the futureand show other nations howIFAJ membership couldbenefit them. The biggestthreat to our future is cautionand indecision.David MarkeyIFAJ Presidentdavid@ifpmedia.comDeadlines approaching for writing and photo contestsIFAJ members are encouraged to enter their best work in the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists(IFAJ) writing and photo contests for stories and photos published during 2004. The top prize for both contests is acrystal trophy and a 500 Euro cash prize. Winners will be announced at the 2005 World Congress in Switzerland.Entries for both competitions close on June 15, 2005.Photo ContestAny individual member of anIFAJ-member nationalassociation or guild is eligibleto enter a photograph in thecontest.Only photos that have beenpublished as editorial materialin a newspaper or magazineduring 2004 are eligible forentry. A photograph that waspart of a photo story orspread may be considered,but only one photo from thecollection may be entered.Photographs must be of anon-farm production subject.For entry details and toview the winners from lastyear’s contest, go towww.ifaj.org.Writing ContestThe IFAJ writing contest,known as the “Star Prize,”has been changed from acontest for stories written andpublished from materialresearched during the annualIFAJ Congress to a contest todetermine the bestagricultural writing in theworld. The IFAJ is running thiscontest with sponsorshipassistance from the JohnDeere Company.National associations andguilds will select one entryfrom their country for thecontest. Individualagricultural journalists shouldcontact their nationalassociation or guild forinformation on how it will beselecting each entry. Manynational associations will beholding contests to maketheir selections.To be eligible for entry, anarticle must:Be on an on-farm productionsubject.Have been published aseditorial material betweenJanuary 1, 2004 andDecember 31, 2004, in apublication or online.Be written in English, Germanor French. Articles publishedin a language other thanthese three should betranslated into one of thesethree languages.More information about theStar Prize writing contest canbe found on www.ifaj.org.La FIJAvous encourage à vousinscrire aux concours dela meilleurephotographie et dumeilleur article dans lecadre du Star Prize,avant le 15 juin 2005.Visitez www.ifaj.orgpour en savoir plus.2March 2005

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 3SPECIAL REPORTTsunami aftermath – rebuilding agricultureEarthquake geologists andoceanographers have been inthe media limelight to explainthe causes of the devastatingAsian tsunami and devise anearly-warning system toprevent the same enormousloss of life next time.But in the traumaticaftermath, another group ofscientists – agriculturalresearchers - are making aquiet and long-lastingcontribution to rebuildinglives and livelihoods.World-recognised marinescientist Dr Meryl Williams(pictured) is inauguralexecutive officer of the FutureHarvest Alliance Office, chairof the Board of the AustralianCentre for InternationalAgricultural Research andformerdirector general for 10years of the WorldFish Centre,headquartered in Malaysia.The Office was formed lastyear by the 15 researchcentres supported by theConsultative Group onInternational AgriculturalResearch (CGIAR) and knowncollectively as Future HarvestCentres. These centres arespread across the globe, andwork actively in areas hit onDecember 26.In an excerpt from a specialarticle prepared for the IFAJ,Dr Williams looks at thedisaster’s impact onagriculture, and the roleagricultural scientists areplaying in the massivereconstruction program.“Agricultural journalists inaffected countries can domuch to help this effort bytelling their stories andgetting information to peopleon what is being done, andwhere information andservices are available to helpthem rebuild their farms andtheir livelihoods,” she said.The full story and contactinformation for IFAJ memberswanting to explore the issuescan be found on the IFAJwebsite at www.ifaj.orgAsia’s tsunami-devastatedareas may not be the firstplaces you would expect tofind agricultural researchers,but they were active in therelief and reconstructionefforts right from the startand will make importantcontributions to the mid andlong-term reconstructionefforts.In the immediate aftermath,staff at the International WaterManagement Institute (IWMI)in Colombo, Sri Lanka, pressedthe institute’s four-wheel drivevehicles into immediate serviceto save injured people. Withindays, IWMI’s GIS experts hadjoined United Nation’s reliefmapping efforts on 24-hourshift work, collecting andmapping the extent andlocation of deaths anddamage.IIn Malaysia, staff at theWorldFish Center joined aconsortium of UN and regionalexperts to rapidly assess thedevastating impacts on fishing,fishing communities,aquaculture and coralreefs.IWMI, WorldFish, theCenter for InternationalForestry Research (CIFOR) andthe WorldAgroforestry Centre,all with sites located close tothe affected areas, raisedmoney for specific localrecovery efforts and assistedstaff it their search for missingfamily.Experts from the InternationalRice Research Institute (IRRI)visited several coastal sites togain first-hand understandingof the problems for ricefarmers now having to copewith coastal soils inundated bysalt water.Countries begansending IRRI requests for seedsof salt tolerant-rice varietiesfrom its vast bank of ricevarietiesThe International PotatoCentre (CIP) beganpropagating suitable varietiesof sweet potatoes, a fastgrowingcrop which canprovide food after anemergency. The internationalcentres then focused on workwith local partners incommunities where they havelong worked and thus hadgood knowledge of the localconditions.Together, the centres aredeveloping long-term impactassessments and rehabilitationprojects that embrace theentire landscape – from sea toPhoto by Sonali Senaratna Sellamuttu.March 2005upland forests – and look atthe bigger picture fordevelopment using thesustainable livelihoodsapproach. This approach hasalready been adopted by thecoordinated UN relief efforts inIndonesia and has been usedsuccessfully in past disasterrecoveries such as the OrissaCyclone. They won't just putthese already poorcommunities back where theywere but start to address thefundamental issues ofsustainable livelihoods.As the Indian Ocean region3starts to rebuild its coastal life,researchers from Australianand international agriculturalinstitutes have committed tojoin with their fellowresearchers in the affectedcountries to bring theircollective expertise to themassive task of rebuildingdevastated areas.Information prepared by Dr MerylWilliams, with input from ACIARand Future Harvest Centers. Theviews expressed in the article areher own and not made on behalfof either organisation.Tsunami damage at Kalametiya, Sri Lanka,where all 32 homes were destroyed

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 4About 20 member countrieswere represented when theInternational Federation ofAgricultural Journalists (IFAJ)held its 2005 annual executivemeeting in Berlin, to coincidewith International GreenWeek. An exclusive mediaconference with the newEuropean Commissioner forAgriculture, Mariann FischerIFAJ COMMITTEES IN ACTIONBerlin Green Week ReportBoel, was a highlight of themeeting in mid-January.In a new expanded format forthe four-day program,delegates also had theopportunity to meet andinterview German farm leaderUdo Folgart at his farm nearPaaren. Both events were partof a concerted effort by theIFAJ and Messe Berlin to makesure the Green Weekexperience offers more storyand photo opportunities toIFAJ delegates.The IFAJ business meetingbegan its deliberations byforming into five keycommittees – membership,professional improvement,finance and sponsorships,communications and hostcountry liaison.Each committee was asked todiscuss and determine themost important issues thatface IFAJ membershipworldwide. The IFAJ Newspresents a summary of the keydiscussion points, many ofwhich will be consideredduring the next annualcongress in September.DVD proposed to celebrate 50th anniversaryThe Communications Committee is looking at the possibility ofproducing a DVD/video to help celebrate the IFAJ’s 50thanniversary in 2006.“It could be written and produced so it can be used as longertermpromotion tool for the organisation, especially when weare introducing the IFAJ to agricultural journalists in newmember EU countries,” said chair Mike Wilson. “The groupagreed this project would likely need a sponsor.”Other suggestions for commemorating the anniversary, whichwill coincide with the IFAJ Congress in Norway, include creatingmemory scrapbooks of photos from past events and invitingpast IFAJ presidents to attend.The Communications Committee is also working on updatingthe website, including providing information about whichlanguages each executive member speaks. The aim is to helppeople make contact with someone who speaks their preferredlanguage, when they are looking for information.Newsletter editor Liz Kellaway also presented preliminary resultsfrom a survey of executivemembers seeking feedback onthe newsletter, IFAJ News.She said one of the highest ratedsections was the new professionalimprovement column. Pagesfocussing on future events andgetting to know national guilds IFAJ News editor Liz Kellawayreveals results of newsletter survey.affiliated with the IFAJ also ratedhighly.Liz said most guilds provided the newsletter as an emailattachment to their members. However, many also wanteda few printed copies. The newsletter is produced three times ayear. The Communications Committee is chaired by MikeWilson, U.S. Other members of the Committee are; DonGomery, Great Britain; Josef Siffert, Austria; Liz Kellaway,Australia (regional VP); Rasmus Lang-Ree, Norway; Jana Janku,Slovakia.Planning future congressesThe Host Country LiaisonCommittee is working with IFAJcongress organisers to helpthem develop vibrant programsthat will attract more delegatesand deliver value. Any memberfrom an IFAJ-affiliated nationalorganisation can attend theannual event, with the nextevent scheduled for Switzerlandin September 2005.In Berlin, the committeereviewed the current guidelinesfor congress organisers, set outin a paper compiled by IFAJ vicepresident Mike Wilson.The committee agreed its roleshould involve helping to finetuneconference agendas, usinginformation gained fromsurveys of delegates whoattended recent congresses.They will aim to receive aproposed agenda and itinerarytwo years before the relevantcongress, including costestimates, dates and conferencetheme.The committee also agreed itsrole is to identify futurecongress host countries. Whilein Berlin the committee wasadvised of a proposal fromAustria to host a future congressin conjunction withneighbouring Slovenia (a nonmemberof IFAJ).Austrian IFAJ delegate JosefSiffert is working to confirm thisproposal with a view to makingit the venue for the 2008 event.Immediate past president of theIFAJ, Hans Matthiesen, hasstepped down from the role ofco-chair of the host countryliaison committee, leavingJames Campbell (pictured) aschair.Other members of thecommittee are Riita Mustonen(pictured), Finland; DanaVecerova, Czech Republic; AnnaOrzechowska, Poland; MarinaTell, Sweden; and NielsJorgensen, Denmark. Allattended the meetingin Berlin.4March 2005

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 5IFAJ COMMITTEES IN ACTIONProfessional development opportunitiesThe IFAJ ProfessionalDevelopment and EducationCommittee is focusing onways it can help make the2005 IFAJ Swiss Congressmore educational forparticipants.In addition to theprofessional developmentprogram the Swiss alreadyhad planned, the committeedecided the following at theirJanuary 2005 meeting inBerlin:IFAJ print journalistsattending the 2005 IFAJ SwissCongress will be encouragedto bring several of theirpublications to the Congress.The Swiss agriculturalCorporate membership on the tableThe Finance Committee is looking at offering corporate or associate memberships of the IFAJ, for supporters from agribusiness.This level of corporate membership would provide companies with access to the IFAJ at annual congresses and events, but theywould have no voting rights. It may also be open to organizations such as the WTO, EU or FAO.The concept will be taken todelegates for discussion at the next congress. We are currently establishing guidelines for type and scope of publicity offered by IFAJin exchange for sponsorships.The committee is chaired by president David Markey, Ireland. Members include Willi Weber, Germany , Reg Weiss, South Africa,Tibor Forgacs, Hungary., Janet Tyson, New Zealand, Armen Khoyoyan, Armenia and Marcus Rediger Treasurer IFAJ.A recommendation thatindividual memberships nolonger be accepted for the IFAJwill be discussed at theorganisation’s next congress inSwitzerland. The MembershipCommittee is recommendingthat from now on journalists canonly be members by joining anational organizations or guildswhich is affiliated with theFederation.This was the standard approachuntil several years ago when theIFAJ created the concept ofindividual memberships forjournalists in countries that donot have their own organizationfor agricultural journalists.Individual membership was alsoopen for journalists in countriesjournalists will provide aspecial table at the Congresswhere these publications willbe on display for journaliststo view, exchange and shareideas.The top photographs in theIFAJ Photo Contest will bepresented to the CongressCzech Republic Minister of AgricultureJaroslav Palas chats with IFAJ PresidentDavid Markey after a press conferenceat Green Weekwhere the national organizationdoes not want to be a memberof the IFAJ.However, since it was set upseveral years ago, only a fewjournalists have made use of theoffer, according to committeechair Hans Siemes. On the otherhand, it has createdadministrative difficulties for theIFAJ in processing and handlingfees.During the meeting in Berlin theMembership Committee alsounfolded plans to target two orthree countries for potential newmembership. The committee willfirst review which countriesshould be approached.“We believe the IFAJ should putenergy into important5March 2005participants in a visualpresentation projected on ascreen to better display thephotos. This will be done foreducational reasons, and tohighlight the expertise ofagricultural journalists.The committee is providingprofessional developmentarticles to the editor of theIFAJ News newsletter, todisseminate professionaldevelopment tips andtechniques to IFAJ members.It welcomes submissions forconsideration. Please sendsuggestions to committeechair Owen Roberts atowen@uoguelph.ca.Committee membersGoodbye to individual membershipsagricultural countries which havean organization of agriculturaljournalists,” Mr Siemes said.“Countries that were mentionedwere Brazil, Argentina, India,Russia and the Philippines.During Green Week contact wasalso made with agriculturaljournalists from China, whowanted to be involved with IFAJ.“Further on the Committeewants to put special effort in thenew EU countries. TheMembership committee willwork with the German guild todevise activities that can help putthe IFAJ in touch with agriculturaljournalists in new member EUcountries.“Together with the Dutch guildone of these countries will beMasaru Yamada, Japan, at workduring the Green Week farm visit.Photo by Marina Tell, Sweden.attending the Berlin meetingwere Hans Mueller,Switzerland; Lelio Bernardi,Italy; Fuat Memli, Albania;and Paul Queck, USA.picked out for ‘adoption’. TheDutch organization wants tohelp one country in setting up ajournalistic organization or tohelp one that has been foundedin the last few years. The Dutchhave a budget for that,” said MrSiemes, who is from TheNetherlands.The committee also hopes towork jointly with Messe Berlin todevise a new way to connectwith agricultural journalists fromnew EU countries during GreenWeek.Other members of thecommittee are Masaru Yamada,Japan; Ulla-Mari Sundelin-Ryytty,Finland; Yuri Krot, Ukraine andCarlos Hernandez, Spain.

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 62005 CONGRESS SPECIAL FEATUREDon’t miss the IFAJ CongressTo be held in one of the mostbeautiful regions of one of themost beautiful countries onearth, the 2005 IFAJ Congresswill run for five days from August31 under the theme, “The newrole of agriculture.”Agricultural journalists will beable to network with otherjournalists and acquire a firsthandunderstanding ofExcursions to visit Swiss farms,agribusiness and agriculturalsector representatives will bethe highlight of day three atthe Congress.Delegates can choose one offour programs, coveringdifferent regions of Switzerlandwhen they register for theevent. Here is a summary ofthe highlights for each tour.Excursion A- Central Switzerland: Cheesemaking, mountain farming, artand culture, UNESCObiosphere. Delegates will visit afamily farm whose motto is“art and culture in thecountry”. The farm is making aname for itself by producingwines made from various typesof fruit. Another highlight willbe getting to know somespecial Swiss cheeses that areleft to mature in natural caves.A trip through the Alpinefoothills will continue via theEntlebuch, an area declared aglobalization, with opportunitiesto interview world leaders inagriculture.A highlight will be an address byWorld Trade OrganisationAgricultural Committeechairman Tim Groser, with theimportant sixth WTO MinisterialConference scheduled to takeplace in Hong Kong inDecember2005 and keyExciting excursion programsIFAJ Congress 2005UNESCO biosphere.Excursion B- Bernese Seeland: Sustainableagriculture, dairy farming,berry and vegetable growing.Situated between three lakesthis region east of Thun waslaboriously converted frommarshland to fertile farm landat the end of the 19thCentury. The tour will visit theSwiss Dairy Producerspresident on his farm.Delegates will also get toexplore the landscape bybicycle when the tour reachesone of Switzerland’s few plains.Excursion C- the Simmental, BerneseOberland: Alpine farming,cattle farming, agro-tourism,regional marketing TheBernese Oberland ischaracterised by the Alps. Thetour will visit the Simmental,the home of the world-famousSimmental cattle breed. Thefirst stop will be an Alpine farmagricultural negotiationscontinuing throughout the year.Other speakers lined up for theprogram including HansjürgWalter, president of the Swissfarmers union, and ManfredBoetsch, the Swiss Minister ofAgriculture.Delegates will also have theopportunity to interview andphotograph Swisswhere the milk is transformedinto cheese. The farm familywill reveal how difficult it is tocompete with farmers in thelowlands, and the solutionsdevised by mountain people tocompensate for thedisadvantages linked to theirlocation.Excursion D- southern Switzerland: Wineproduction, fruit growing(research), alpine farmingThis tour will visit themountainous canton of Valaiswhich focuses on “earning aliving with additional jobs”,alpine farming as well as fruitand grape growing. Besidesgetting an insight into life inthe alps, participants will see atraditional cow fight withEringer cows. The tour will visitthe Centre des Fougères of thefederal research centre,Agroscope Changins. After thisinsight into fruit-growingresearch, the tour will takeHansjürg Walterin the famous winery villageSalgesch.Pre-Congress toursTwo tours led by editors oflocal agricultural papershighlight the pre-congressprogram. The trips start onSunday August 28 and finishon Wednesday August 31 intime for the main congressprogram. One program willtake in western Switzerland,starting in Geneva. It willvisit the WTO, Nestlé, retailersand farmers, and provideinsight into farming in theFrench speaking part ofSwitzerland, traditionalagriculture, new products andthe AOC.The second tour, to easternregions, will begin in Zurich. Itwill take in agriculture andfood industries around LakeConstance, and an agriculturalcollege.The tours cost 700 Swiss francseach, including all costs.When: Wednesday, August 31 to Sunday, September 4.Where:Thun, 30 km south-east of the capital city of Bern.Registration:Before March 31, 600 Swiss francs (accommodation not included).After April 1, 700 Swiss francs (accommodation not included).Accommodation: 180 to 620 Swiss francs, depending on hotel category.Pre congress tours: Sunday August 28 to Wednesday August 31.Bookings close: May 31.Further information: www.ifaj2005.ch, fax + 41 31 359 59 79, or phone + 41 31 359 39 77.6March 2005

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 72005 CONGRESS SPECIAL FEATUREin beautiful Switzerlandfarmers and agribusiness leaders,and investigate first hand dairyproduction, sustainableagriculture, horticulture, agrotourism,alpine farming andwinemaking.Following an important newtrend in IFAJ services tojournalists, the congress will offersessions on professionaldevelopment, and time tocontinue the debate aboutagriculture and the role of themedia.A special feature on the last daywill be the opportunity to take ina unique festival celebratingalpine culture in nearbyInterlaken. The Unspunnenfesttakes place only once every 12years - you won’t want to miss it.Registration for the Congress is400 euros until March 31. FromApril 1, the fee increases to 470euros. Accommodation costs areseparate and depend on thehotel category you choose.Don’t delay – registration closesMay 31.See you in Switzerland!Manfred BoetschSpecial discount closes March 31Congress organising committeevice president Markus Redigeranswers some key questionsabout the 2005 event for theIFAJ News...What are the highlights ofthe congress?Along with the wonderfulscenery around the Lake ofThun, journalists can networkwith colleagues and get a firsthandunderstanding ofglobalization.They will have lotsof interview and photographyopportunities with Swissfarmers, agri-marketers,retailers, WTO officials andresearchers in a variety ofsettings. We also offer adiscussion about agricultureand the role of the media.What do you think is themain challenge foragriculture in Switzerland?Globalisation and liberalizationhave been a tremendouschallenge for the Swiss farmersand their organisations. You willhear and see how the new roleof agriculture was introducedand accepted in Switzerland,which is not a member of theEU. One of the main challengesfor Swiss agriculture today is toprovide competitive inputs forthe food industry.Why did you separate thecongress fee from the hotelcost?We wanted to make sure thateverybody can come to thecongress. So we offer differentstandards of hotels that fit everybudget. The congress fee is600. Swiss francs and the hotelsfor four nights cost from 180up to 620 Swiss francs. So thetotal cost of the congress will bebetween 780 and 1220 Swissfrancs, or 500 and 790 Euro.When should delegates planto arrive in Thun?Members of the IFAJ Presidiumneed to arrive in Thun by 1pmon August 31 and nationaldelegates need to arrive by3pm. For all other participants,the congress starts with theopening session at 6pm.When should participants toregister?Register as soon as possible.Until March 31 you get thecheaper congress fee (onlyCHF 600) but afterward thefee increases.Bookings for the conferencewill close on May 31.Booking forms for the 2005Congress and the latestinformation are availableon the conference website -www.ifaj2005.ch. For thosewho have no internetconnection, forms andprogram details can beordered by fax, + 41 31 35959 79, or phone, + 41 31 35939 77. After the form isreceived, a detailed bill andpayment details will be sent.Accommodation optionsHotel Category Single room Double room Room with 3 beds4* First Class / Convention Hotel CHF 155.-- CHF 125.--4* First Class CHF 130.-- CHF 115.--3* Middle Class CHF 110.-- to 130.-- CHF 90.-- CHF 70.--2* Standard CHF 80.-- CHF 80.-- - CHF 60.--2* Standard (no private showers/toilets) CHF 60.-- CHF 46.—to 67.-- CHF 41.—to 48.--All rates in Swiss Francs, per person and per night, including breakfast, service and taxes/VAT. All rooms with private bath/shower/toilet (except lowest category).7March 2005

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 8Better writing tips for allEvery year, agricultural journalists in Canada have an opportunityto hone their professional writing skills. There’s no seminar tosign up for, and the price is definitely right – it’s the annualCanadian Farm Writers Federation writing and broadcastingaward competition, open to all 300 writers, broadcasters andprofessional communicators in the organization.The contest features a judging critique by professionals close tothe federation. Last year, a particularly forthcoming judge – awriting professor from British Columbia – bestowed entrants inhis category with a full platter of comments and suggestions thatwere later compiled by awards administrator Jane Robinson,editorial manager of AdFarm agency in Guelph. The followingare highlights of those comments, which feature better writingtips for us all. Base every story on news the farmer can use. Don’t test your audience’s patience with long sentences. Avoid polysyllabic words for general audiences. Ask yourself a simple question: Is this really hard news? Consider your news hook and lead to be what you might tell afriend to summarize the story or attract interest. You know when you’ve written a dead lead. So, improve it. Even on a magazine piece where you have a bit more editorialrange, a lead starting with 100-year-old-information is usuallynot enticing. Answer the “so what” factor to further test the news value ofyour item. Be conversational and write with personality.GETTING BETTERPrinciples of Clear Writing If you’re writing hard news, be sure your story has a hard newslead. No anecdotes or creative writing. Anyone but the most dedicated reader will tune out after firsthalf dozen paragraphs of a news story told chronologically. Don’t leave unanswered questions, especially when a story isreporting on something new. If your source doesn’t have ananswer, at least bring out the fact that you asked. A good lead gets right to the point and tells readers what theyneed to know. For example: “Immunizing dairy cows against E.coli before they freshen could improve performance and reduceclinical mastitis incidence, a University of Guelph researcher hasfound.” “Is” is a very weak lead verb – it reflects the status quo, and notnews. It’s actually the opposite of news. Avoid using “your.” When you see it, it’s often followed bysomething preachy, sales-like or exclusionary. Try to avoid starting a story with subsidiary clauses and infinitivessuch as “When dealing with rodents, smart farmers turn to…”Instead, turn the sentence around and try “Smart farmers turn to[you name it] to control rodents.” Your story has no life if the first warm body doesn’t appear untilpage 2. Introduce humans earlier. Numbers numb readers. Avoid using more than two perparagraph. Get to the article’s “simple point” soon, to engage reader. You can write better than your sources can speak. Trim thequotes. Don’t forget common sense, and a sense of fairness to all parties.1. Keep sentences short.Sentences must vary in length to avoid boring the reader. Butthey should mostly vary between short and shorter, with theaverage length between seven and 17 words. Rule of thumb -look carefully at any sentence close to being three typewrittenlines long. It should probably be changed.2. Prefer the simple to the complex.If the right word is a big word, go ahead and use it. But if ashorter word does the job, use it instead. For example, use"change" instead of "modification" and "use" instead of"utilization."3. Prefer the familiar word.The most familiar words in the English language are the, of,and, a, in, to, I, is, it, and that. When writing, choose theword that will be known by most people.4. Avoid unnecessary words.Slash words mercilessly. Only put words back in if they arenecessary to make the sentence clear.5. Put action in your verbs.When active verbs are used, the noun acts. Passive verbs havethe noun acted upon. For example: "The fullback hits the line"(active); "The line is hit by the fullback" (passive).6. Write like you talk.Some grammarians would insist that "write like you talk" ispoor grammar. However, you should be yourself when youwrite.7. Use terms your reader can picture.Avoid fuzzy words such as conditions, situations, facilities,inadequacies. Use words that can be visualized.8. Tie in with your reader's experience.Much communication fails because writers ignore readers'beliefs. Words vary in meaning. Meaning is determinedentirely by the readers' past experience and purposes. It is notenough to write so that you will be understood. You mustwrite so you can't be misunderstood.9. Make full use of variety.Introduce enough variety of sentence length, structure andvocabulary. Variety is a chief ingredient in the art of writing.Use your thesaurus liberally (but don’t forget tip #4).10.Write to express, not to impress.No writing is easy. But we make it more difficult by seekingout long, unfamiliar words.8March 2005

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 9The first German Federation ofAgricultural Journalists (VDAJ) awardrecognising excellence in reporting aboutagriculture in the public press has beenpresented by the new EU Commissionerfor Agriculture, Mariann Fischer Boel.Münchner Merkur editor Boris Forstnerreceived the prize during InternationalGreen Week in Berlin, in January, for hisseries, “Farmers live”. He published morethan 30 articles from March to November2004 in the daily newspaper, which has acirculation of 270,000.“I really appreciate this prize,” Boris saidproudly after receiving the prize.“He was chosen because his reports give arealistic view of agriculture to the public,”explained Dr Willi Weber, chairman of theGerman Federation VDAJ.Mariann Fischer Boel also praised thejournalist. “You are doing a veryimportant job,” she told him at thepresentation.Until last year, Boris focussed mainly oncare for aged people and the railway inhis writing, but today the 30 year-oldknows more about agriculture than mostof his colleges.The idea to write about agriculture wasborn on a bicycle tour – he wondered,why some farmers let their cows grazeNEWS ROUND-UPYoung editor wins award for writing about agricultureBoris Forstner (centre) receives his prize fromMariann Fischer Boel and VDAJ chairman DrWilli Weber.and others don’t, why some harvest themaize in September and others at the endof October.Looking for explanations, he metBernhard Heger, who owns 40 hectares ofgrazing land and 40 dairy cows – a typicalsized farm of the hilly countryside inSouthern Germany.“Bernhard Heger was real luck for me,”Forstner admits. “He was honest, nevercomplained and he had the patience ofan angel with me.”During nine months, Forstner visited thefarm every week for several hours andwrote about the life and work of thefamily. He also explained complicatedissues like the consequences of EUlegislation on farmers, renewable energyand how quality systems work inagriculture.“This cost me a lot of time – therefore it isquiet satisfying, that my work ishonoured,” Forstner added.The VDAJ award will be offered every yearto acknowledge fair and correct reportsabout agriculture in the public press.Beside journalism, communication infavour of agriculture can also be rewardedwhich means recipients can also befarmers or good communicators.By Katharina SeuserNo mini-congressA mini-congress planned for agriculturaljournalists in April, in the Netherlands,has been cancelled because of lowregistrations. The two-day-congress wasmeant for journalists in neighbouringcountries who wanted to find out howfarmers in Western Europe keep a grip onthe market. The Dutch Association forAgricultural and Horticultural Journalism,which was organizing the event, set aminimum of 20 participants from abroad.That minimum wasn’t reached by thedeadline, set at the end of February.New system to orderpress cardsThe IFAJ has revised its procedure for orderingIFAJ press cards. It is now possible to ordercards at any time and the new cards will bevalid for 36 months after issue, according toIFAJ Secretary General Ulla-Mari Sundelin-Ryytty. Depending on the amount ordered,cards will be produced once a month. However, members canrequest an express card for delivery within 10 days, for an extra fee.The cards will be posted to a designated contact person for eachnational organisation immediately after printing. Members mustalso place orders via this person. Applicants will need to provide ahead and shoulders photo of themselves in the form of a jpg file, infour colour (RGB), ready to be reproduced as a 20 mm x 29 mmimage, and with a minimum resolution of 300 dpi.The press cards will cost 15 Euros, including printing and postage.Cards ordered for express service will cost an additional 10 Euros.To find out more about the cards and the designated contactperson for your country, contact Ulla-Mari at ulla-mari.sundelinryytty@faba.fIFAJ brochure now inmultiple languagesAfter receiving sponsorship from DeLaval, the IFAJ hasproduced its new corporatebrochure in four languages -Spanish, German, Russian andEnglish.The brochure will bedistributed shortly to allexecutive members. Copiesare also available on theorganisation’s website, atwww.ifaj.org.President David Markey saidhe anticipated it would assistmember countries to attractsponsorship for futurecongresses and would alsoprovide a useful resource for regional vice presidents to marketthe IFAJ in other countries and win new members.9March 2005

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 10Bound For BrazilIFAJ WORLD ROUND-UPWhile their compatriots were battlingfreezing winter temperatures in January,American agricultural editors Greg Lamp,from The Corn and Soybean Digest, andClint Peck, from BEEF magazine, spent14 days leading a diverse group offarmers on a tour of Brazil. Greg Lampwrites about the tour and the insights itoffered into an emerging worldpowerhouse in agricultural production.U.S. farmers were continually impressed with the size of farms and quality of soybeans theysaw during their two-week trip in Brazil.When frigid temperatures hitbelow zero in much of theMidwestern U.S., a troop of34 crop farmers and cattleranchers departed on a twoweekwhirlwind tour of Braziland sweltering temperaturesof 100 degrees F nearly everyday.This was the third consecutivetour sponsored by The CornAnd Soybean Digest, a U.S.publication that focuses onsoybean and corn production.Besides U.S. producers, fourRussians, one Canadian andone Indonesian traveler jointhe group.The purpose of the trip was toshow U.S. farmers the foreigncompetition up close andpersonal. Combined, soybeanproduction from Argentinaand Brazil now surpasses thatof the U.S. That powerhouseproduction worries most U.S.farmers, especially sincethere’s talk of livestockoperations beginning torelocate to Brazil.In addition, U.S. crop farmersgrilled Brazilian farmers onhow they’ve dealt with thedeadly Asian soybean rustdisease that surfaced in theircountry three years ago. Leftuntreated, rust has thepotential to devastate yieldsby as much as 80%. Rustshowed it’s ugly head in theU.S. in the fall of 2004.The tour visited crop andcattle operations in the statesof Mato Grosso, Mato Grossodo Sul and Parana. Brazil isalso home to the world’slargest commercial cattle herd,primarily the Nelore breed, inthe world.Generally, producers from theU.S. were amazed at the sizeof operations in Mato Grosso,the newest frontier area.Farms there often reach10,000 hectares and higher.Although farm equipment issmaller because labor is cheap,technology use is top-notch.Soybean yields often average55 bushels per acre (3.7tonnes/ha), comparable toU.S. farms.Although the boom inagriculture seems to continuein that country, there areworries about profitability.Facing sharply lower worldprices and sharply higherproduction costs, farmers inboth Brazil and Argentina arefacing losses this year on theirsoybean crops. As a result,farmers in both countries areasking their governments forfinancial assistance to helpthem survive financially.However, most observersexpect neither governmentwill provide the farmers withsignificant if any assistancebecause of the dire financialcircumstances of thegovernments.The jam-packed tour camewith long days and shortnights for travelers. But asthey put it, “We’ll probablyonly go there once and wewant to see everything wecan. We can sleep later.”The tour is a service The CornAnd Soybean Digest providesreaders by allowing farmers toview agriculture in what hasbecome a highly competitiveforeign country—Brazil.Cost for the tour, including alltransportation and mostmeals, runs at about $4,000(US) per person.Checking for Asian soybean rust was a major objective for U.S. cropfarmers, especially since the disease just arrived on U.S. shores in the fallof 2004.The rugged, heat-tolerant Nelore breed of cattle dominates Brazil’s cowherd. Still, they’re beginning to crossbreed with Simmental and Angus.10March 2005

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 11IFAJ WORLD ROUND-UPA round-up of news from IFAJ member countries around the globe. If you have a brief story about agricultural journalists and theiractivities in your country for the next edition please forward them to editor Liz Kellaway, email: lizk@porternovellisa.com.auAustraliaA young journalist who grew upin one of Australia’s most isolatedcommunities has been namedthe inaugural Rural Media SouthAustralia Young Rural Journalist ofthe Year. Alice Plate is a ruralreporter for the AustralianBroadcasting Corporation’spopular Country Hour radioprogram for farmers. She grewup in remote Oodnadatta whereher family run the PinkRoadhouse, a well-knownlandmark.As her prize, Alice will attend theIFAJ congress in Switzerland inSeptember 2005. The Award wasopen to journalists 25 years ofage or younger. They had toprovide a portfolio of stories forreview by the judges.CanadaFormer IFAJ News editor OwenRoberts and his Canadian band,The GMOs, have released a CD.Well known for his musicalcontributions to IFAJ conferences,Owen is lead vocalist in theprovocatively named outfit.The band was originally formedby Owen and drummer LenKahn, both members of theCanadian Farm WritersFederation. The self-titled CD wasrecorded in August at Guelph’sBAM Records. It contains sixoriginal songs, including “Over30 Million Served,” whichreceived national acclaim asrunner-up in a songwritingcompetition last summer aboutfamily farms, sponsored byCanada’s Outdoor Farm Show.Copies of the CD are available viathe band’s website atwww.gmomusic.com.Czech RepublicAt its annual meeting on January31, the Czech Association ofAgricultural Journalist initiatednew national writing andphotography contests, which arethe first in the history of theCzech Association. The boardexpects great interest fromagricultural journalists. Thewinners of each contest willparticipate in IFAJ Star Prize andIFAJ Photo Contest.IrelandBrian O’Mahony and Ray Ryanfrom The Irish Examiner werevoted overall winners of the IrishAgricultural Journalism Awards for2004, announced in Dublin.Organised by the Guild ofAgricultural Journalists of Ireland,the awards were presented byBrendan Smith, Minister of Stateat the Department of Agricultureand Food, at a dinner in theGuinness Storehouse. The Awardsare presented every two years foroutstanding coverage of farmingor rural affairs in national or localbroadcast and print media.IFAJ president David Markey willstep down as president of theIrish Guild at the organisation’sannual meeting in May. The guildis also planning for the secondMichael Dillon Lecture inNovember, which will featurenew EU AgriculturalCommissioner Mariann FisherBoel. The bi-annual lecture isnamed after a founder of theGuild who was also the first facefarmers came to recognise on TVRTE in the 1960s.JapanA survey of delegates at the IFAJ’sexecutive meeting in Berlin hasrevealed that interviewing localfarmers is the top priority forjournalists planning to attend theIFAJ Congress in Japan inSeptember 2007. More than75% of those surveyed namedthis as a priority.The Japan Agricultural Journalists’Association, JAJA, is working hardto host the congress, which willgive delegates the chance to stayon a typical Japanese farm. “Youwill enjoy another style ofagriculture and rural life, whichyou have never experienced,”said Japanese delegate MasaruYamada.“Not only agriculture, but alsofood and environmental issueswill be big themes. As thebiggest net food importingcountry of the world, foods fromall over the world are available onthe Japanese market, just waitingfor you to write stories.”The NetherlandsJournalists and bars are a wellknowncombination – somethingthe Dutch Association forAgricultural and HorticulturalJournalism exploited when itorganised a highly successfulevent in January. More than 25journalists came together in a barto discuss the influence thatdeclining farmer numbers ishaving on agricultural magazines.Normally the guild hires a venueand an expert gives a lecture in avery formal approach. This timetwo experts sat at the bar givingtheir opinion to other guests whocould ask questions directly. Inthe meantime the barkeeperprovided the drinks.A Dutch proverb says “bring lifein a brewery”. That means livingthings up. The successful eventwill be repeated.South AfricaThe South African AgriculturalWriters’ Association honouredtwo internationally acclaimedfigures in the agricultural world atits annual award ceremony athistoric Franschhoek, home ofthe country’s French Huguenotsettlers. The ceremony wasattended by leading farmers andagriculturists from across SouthAfrica.Professor Jennifer Thomson of theDepartment of Molecular andCell Biology at the University ofCape Town was named WesternCape Agriculturist of the Year andMr Aat Hoekstra of Nancy, Paarl,was named Western Cape Farmerof the Year.Jennifer Thomson, who has alsobeen honoured by Unesco withits “Oscar” for women in science,pioneered research in the fightagainst world hunger. She is onthe brink of an importantbreakthrough with droughtresistant maize, using genes fromthe so-called “resurrection” plantthat grows high up in theDrakensberg mountains.Mr Hoekstra, a leading fruitgrower, is remarkable for hispioneering work on improvedtable grape cultivars, assisted bythe Volcani Institute in Israel andthe University of California.Arriving in South Africa as a cashstrappedDutch immigrant afterthe Second World War, hepainstakingly built up one of thecountry’s leading fruit exportingbusinesses.Still active at 74, he is up andabout before sunrise, serving as arole model of financial disciplineand seat-of-the-pantsmanagement for young beginnerfarmers. Apart from his successfulnew cultivars, he has also sharedfreely with the industry manyinnovative ideas on table grapegrowing, gleaned on his frequentvisits abroad.The association also honoured MrChris du Toit of Paarl Vallei, Paarl,for a lifetime of service toorganised agriculture, includinghis extended term as President ofthe South African AgriculturalUnion.SwedenThe activities do not always haveto be packed with hard workwhen agricultural journalists meetand share experiences. Duringmidwinter, members of the FSLJ –the Swedish organization of IFAJ– were invited by the board to ameeting at the Press Club ofStockholm. The meeting was a“getting-together event” with noother goal than talking, havingfun, and getting to know eachother better. Brainstorming forthe coming year with FSLJ andIFAJ were a focus during themeeting.11March 2005

ifaj news March 05-v 15/03/2005 15:19 Page 12“Agri parties” provideindependent information forUkrainian membersA major grain producing nation, the Ukraine is going through aninteresting time in its history with recent controversial electionsgenerating headlines around the world. IFAJ delegate andUkrainian journalist Yuri Krot provides a brief introduction to theUkrainian Guild of Agrarian Journalists and the challenges facing itssmall but determined membership.GETTING TO KNOW OUR GUILDSThe Ukrainian Guild of AgrarianJournalists was created in 1996as a non-profit and nongovernmentalorganization. Themain goal of its creation was tohelp independent journalistslooking for independentinformation. To achieve thisgoal we founded so-called“agri-parties” - events like pressconferences where the mainproblems of Ukrainianagriculture are discussed andthe widest spectrum ofviewpoints presented. Topreserve independence, weattracted independentorganizations as sponsors.Among them are USAID,International FinanceCorporation and the GermanEmbassy. We also established ajournalism contest.In 1999, we joined the IFAJ.Former IFAJ officers helped us.We appreciate especially thekind cooperation of (formerSecretary General) Madeline Re,Don Gomery and David Steers(from the British Guild), PaulQueck (former IFAJ president)and Owen Roberts (Canadiandelegate). Thanks to the IFAJ,we can study the standards ofagricultural journalismworldwide.Agribusiness is very importantfor the Ukrainian economy. Itproduces 33% of commonnational output and employs23% of employees in thecountry. Among more then12,500 agrarian enterprises arelarge producers and smallfarmers, occupying more then41.7 million hectares of land.The situation in our country isquite interesting now, with anew generation of politicianscoming to power. Neverthelessit will be very difficult tocombine WTO orientation,which has been claimed by thenew Ukrainian President VictorYushchenko as the main goalfor the Ukrainian “agroindustrial”sector, with thesocially important conservationof agrarian production levelsand the products which havemade the Ukraine well knownas a grain basket of Europe.One of our members has won astudy tour to the USA for twoweeks, funded by USAID.Personally, I worked withUkrainian Guild of AgrarianJournalists attend a seminarorganised by the ACDI/VOCAGrain Warehouse ReceivalsProject in Ukraine.Germany’s “DLZAgrarmagazine” in November-December 2003, due to thekind support of the Germanassociation, past President HansMatthiesen and currentPresident Willi Weber.Unfortunately there are onlyseven of us today, but I hope, itwill be more. The “grain basketof Europe” has to be wellpromoted in media!US delegatewins Swissfarm holidayUnited States journalist PaulQueck won a Swiss farm holidaypackage in a special prize drawheld at Green Week in Berlin.Paul and his family will be ableto stay for one week at“Enzenberg”, the family farmoperated by Jakob and JudithGötti at Brunnadern, St. Gallen,in eastern Switzerland. Thefarmhouse is 300 years old andsituated in a beautiful mountainarea. The prize was drawnduring a dinner hosted at theSwiss restaurant at Green Week,to help promote the next IFAJCongress.Paul is pictured with (from leftIFAJ treasurer Markus Rediger(Switzerland) and MirjamSchoepf, who drew the prize.Swiss farm prizeUS-Journalistgewinnt Ferienauf SchweizerBauernhof(lid) Während einemNachtessen im SchweizerRestaurant an der GrünenWoche in Berlin wurde eineWoche Ferien auf einemSchweizer Bauernhof verlost. Ander Verlosung beteiligten sichJournalisten aus 20 Ländern.Paul Queck, Redaktor ausIndianapolis, USA hat denersten Preis gewonnen. Er freutsich darauf den Betrieb derFamilie Jakob und Judith Göttiin Brunnadern SGkennenzulernen. SeineBauernhofferien wird derAgrarjournalist im Sommer2005 vor oder nach deminternationalen Kongress zumThema "Die neue Rolle derLandwirtschaft" in Thunantreten. Der Kongress will diemultifunktionale Rolle derSchweizer Landwirtschaft eineminternationalen Publikumpräsentieren. WeitereInformationen:www.ifaj2005.ch12March 2005