This afternoon I finally got to meet the Monsanto Future Ag Journalist Fellowship winners. Brooke Hoelscher (r) and Megan Ott (l) were escorted to my work station in the media room at Commodity Classic. Apparently they weren’t allowed access to the media room even though they had media badges. These students will someday possibly be professional ag journalists and part of the rationale for the Monsanto program is to provide them with a “real world” opportunity to write about their experience at Classic and interact with professionals. Unfortunately, they are not considered to be “media” and therefore, since they’re staying in a different hotel they have to go back to their hotel to post on their websites and they don’t get to have that professional journalist experience. However, they’re taking pictures, doing interviews and all the same things us professionals are doing.

I had the fortune of participating in the very first Monsanto Future Ag Journalist Fellowship project. One of them is now a very respected member of the professional ag journalist ranks. I guess I’m wondering how these media room policies are promoting good media relations and the development of professional ag journalists who will be the leaders in the industry tomorrow. I’ll be featuring my interview with Brooke and Megan in my ZimmCast podcast on Monday. They’re awesome young talents and just talking with them helps inspire this old ag journalist as I hope it will you.

You can follow Brooke on Brooke’s Commodity Insider and Megan at Megan’s Classic Chronicle.

2009 Commodity Classic Photo Album

AgWired coverage of the 2009 Commodity Classic
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