The 2012 IFAJ Congress has ended in Stockholm with the closing banquet in the Stockholm City Hall, site of the Nobel Prize banquet. We dined in the Golden Room. Congratulations to the Swedish Congress Committee for all their hard work and the enjoyment of seeing and experiencing their country. I have a lot more to share in coming days with …
IFAJ Tour Day
It’s tour day number one at the 2012 IFAJ Congress. I’m on tour bus #4, now known as “The Meat Wagon.” We visited Stenhammar Estate, a beef cattle farm run by the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf. Here’s our group posing with Helios of Mattarp, a champion bull. We had lunch with the Minister of Rural Affairs, Eskil Erlandsson and …
New IFAJ Leadership
The International Federation of Agricultural Journalists elected new officers today. Pictured left to right are: Riitta Mustonen, Finland, Secretary General; Marcus Rediger, Switzerland, President; James Campbell, Ireland, Treasurer and Owen Roberts, Canada, Vice President. Congratulations to the new officer team as they take over and continue to grow and develop IFAJ globally. After the annual business meeting our whole group …
IFAJ Awards
Awards have been presented at the 2012 IFAJ Congress. Here’s the first place winner of the IFAJ-Yara Award for Sustainable Agriculture Reporting, Kerry Staight, Australia. Other awards were presented during our dinner last night that included the Star Prize for Broadcast Journalism, First Place – Online Video -Eric Poulsen, Denmark; Television – Kerry Staight, Australia; Radio – Damien O’Reilly, Ireland. …
Sweden Minister of Rural Affairs
The Sweden Minister of Rural Affairs is Eskil Erlandsson. He was on our morning program here at the 2012 IFAJ Congress. After the morning session was completed he held a press conference which I recorded and have posted below. One of the questions that I thought was interesting pertained to Sweden’s use of biofuels and making use of ethanol by-products …
A Dire Future Without Major Societal Changes
Our opening speaker at the 2012 IFAJ Congress immediately dove into the deep end on the theme of “Solutions for a Green Future.” He is Johan Rockstrom, Executive Director of the Stockholm Resilience Center. As he opened his remarks he pointed to what he calls the most significant news of our age which was announced yesterday. He was referring to …
2012 IFAJ Congress Underway
The 2012 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress is officially underway. Here’s our happy group during the opening reception. The program kicks off with a variety of speakers addressing the theme of “Solutions for a Green Future.” Then we’ll have the annual IFAJ business meeting followed by a visit to Hamra Farm, headquarters for De Laval. 2012 IFAJ Congress Photo …
IFAJ Congress Arrival Day
It is arrival day for attendees of the 2012 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress in Sweden. Kelly Schwalbe, BCS Communications and myself took the morning to try a little golf. It is a beautiful day and no matter what our score was, it was an awesome round of golf at the Troxhammar Golf Cub. We played with flashes of …
Preview of 2012 IFAJ Congress
The 2012 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists is about to kick off in Sweden. We’re somewhere to the west of Stockholm at the moment with farm tours coming up later this week. To get my coverage started I spoke with soon to be past IFAJ President Mike Wilson, Farm Futures, during the IFAJ leadership dinner this evening. Mike has been …
It’s Time For The 2012 IFAJ Congress
It’s time for Sweden and the 2012 International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress in and around the Stockholm area. I’m leaving in the morning and should have some of my first coverage starting on late Tuesday. I’d like to extend a special thank you to Dupont Pioneer for once again sponsoring my coverage of this annual event. Dupont Pioneer has …