Between Passion and Pressure is the them of this year’s International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress. It’s going to be held seaside April 17-21 in Ostend, Belgium at the Thermae Palace hotel. I’ll be attending and get back just in time for the start of the NAMA convention in Kansas City.

This year’s IFAJ Congress is being hosted by the Belgian Association of Agricultural Journalists (BVLJ-ABJA), a founding member of IFAJ. Here’s a look at the program:

Saturday April 17th, 2010 – Arrival at the Thermae Palace Hotel (Ostend)

* Beach animation in the morning and afternoon
* Executive meeting at 2 P.M.
* Welcome dinner at 8 P.M

Sunday April 18th – The city of Ghent

* Symposium ‘Ghent, cradle of biotech’ (morning)
* Partner program: ancient city of Ghent (morning)
* Visit to the Floralies (afternoon)
* Dinner at ‘t Boerenhof and tribute to the sax” by the new Orleans Night Owls

Monday April 19th – Tours

* Tour 1 – West-Flanders : Intensive horticultural production, horticultural auction, arable crops and
beef production
* Tour 2 – East-Flanders : Pig production and processing, biogaz and agro-environmental management
* Tour 3 – Antwerp & Flemish Brabant : Intensive horticultural production & horticultural auction, horticultural research, Belgian endive and dairy
* Tour 4 – Antwerp :Janssen Animal Health, veal production and dairy
* Tour 5 – Wallonia : Agricultural machinery (Joskin), artificial insemination, cattle breeding (Belgian White Blue), beef production

Tuesday April 20th

* Partner program: city of Bruges: historical centre, Belgian chocolate and lace(morning)
* Specific technical tours (morning)
* Partner program: city of Ostend (afternoon)
* Workshop: ‘Agricultural journalism, between passion & pressure’ (afternoon)
* General assembly at 4 P.M.
* Farewell dinner – IFAJ Band

I’d like to thank in advance AgWired sponsors for coverage of this year’s IFAJ Congress, Novus International and Pioneer Hi-Bred.