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IFAJ Journalists Selected for Trip to China

Kelly Marshall

ChinaThe International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) has announced the twelve agriculture journalists and communicators selected to take part in the 5th Expoxure-4-Development tour this fall in China.  The media tour is sponsored by AGCO.  The trip includes stops in Beijing, Changzhou and Shanghai to view the nation’s farming and mechanization.

The participants are:

Nate Birt, USA
Melanie Epp, Belgium
Markus Habisch, Austria
Mohamed Hassan, Kenya
Oystein Heggdal, Norway
Elisabeth Hell, Austria
Liza Karlsson, Sweden
Satu Lehtonen, Finland
Jesus Lopez, Spain
Kristy O’Brien, Australia
Lilian Schaer, Canada
Johann Tasker, United Kingdom

“This partnership between IFAJ and AGCO provides a great opportunity for agricultural journalists to explore one of the most influential and exciting markets in the world,” says Owen Roberts, IFAJ president. “The perspective and insight these journalists will gain promises to benefit their readers, listeners and viewers now and for years to come.”

The Exposure-4-Development program is one of several outreach initiatives that are part of IFAJ’s 2020 Global Vision strategy, which aims to promote professional development, networking and freedom of the press through a global platform for agricultural journalists and communicators.

“AGCO sees China as one of its most strategically important markets in the world. As the biggest single manufacturing investment of AGCO, the Changzhou factory, a state-of-the-art manufacturing and R&D base, will serve both domestic as well as international markets with top professional agricultural machinery, and will further offer better service and support for mechanization of the Chinese agricultural markets. Our Changzhou site is also the major hub of AGCO’s newly developed “Global Series” tractor range for Massey Ferguson, which will serve as an important part of AGCO’s product line-up, and realize AGCO’s commitment to a full range of high-tech solutions for our global customers. We are looking forward to showing the IFAJ group our achievement in China and elaborating our strategy,” says Gary Collar, Senior Vice President, General Manager, Asia Pacific AGCO.

In the past the IFAJ-AGCO tours have experienced a first-hand look at agriculture in Zambia, Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

Ag Groups, IFAJ