The 2011 IFAJ Congress kicked off formally today after a meeting of the executive committee. For the delegates meeting the officers got on stage to provide reports on various aspects of IFAJ business. This is the annual business meeting. At the podium is Mike Wilson, Farm Futures, IFAJ President. I asked him for a state of the union report after …
Canadian Potatoes Debut for IFAJ Dinner
During pre-IFAJ Congress activities we were treated to dinner in downtown Guelph at the Woolrich Arrow. We were also being used in an experiment with a local potato grower. Here’s Kevin Smith, Smoyd Potato Farm, holding some of his product while he talked to us about a new variety we were to have served with our dinner. So we ate …
Alltech Sponsoring IFAJ Boot Camp
The IFAJ Boot Camp participants, seen here, heard from their sponsor during their pre-Congress program in Guelph. My good friend, Aidan Connolly, Alltech VP, was able to be with us for a while this week. Aidan told our participants that “food and food policy has never been more critical, has never been more relevant, has never been more times on …
Farmers Fighting Poverty
One of the organizers for the IFAJ Master Class and Boot Camp program is Cees van Rij (pictured left), Agriterra. Cees is from the Netherlands. Cees says his organization is guided by Dutch farmer groups and cooperatives and believes that farmers can do a lot to work with people in poverty stricken areas to help them. That led to the …
IFAJ Congress Overview
The 2011 IFAJ Congress gets into full swing today. There are some business meetings for the organization as well as an afternoon session called Canada Agriculture 101. I visited with Co-Chair Owen Roberts, faculty instructor at the University of Guelph. We were on the bus last night on our way to Mohawk Racetrack. In the program you can hear Owen …
Mohawk Racing IFAJ Style
Tonight the IFAJ attendees went horse racing at Mohawk Racetrack. We had some great Standardbred action for about seven races before departing back to the hotels. Here’s most of our group out on the track after the 6th race presenting an IFAJ Congress horse blanket to the winner. Now that’s cool. I’ve updated the photo album from this afternoon and …
Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show Kicks Off
This morning Mike Wilson, President, International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) and editor, Farm Futures, kicked off the 2011 Canada Outdoor Farm Show. I’ve got video coming and will add as soon as it’s ready. We had a ribbon cutting of a different kind. Mike cut the ribbon on a batch of balloons which then floated over the show. Mike …
Canada Outdoor Farm Show
Welcome to the Canada Outdoor Farm Show. This is where I’ll be today with other IFAJ members before the 2011 IFAJ Congress officially kicks off tomorrow evening. I’m assuming I’ll be away from internet access all day but I’ll be taking photos and have stories to share after I get back. With helicopters landing and equipment arriving and animals getting …
IFAJ Master Class and Boot Camp Graduation
The IFAJ Master Class and Boot Camp is over for 2011. Here are the combined groups before we went to dinner together tonight in downtown Guelph. From what I’ve heard the participants were very happy with the program and feel like they got a lot out of the experience. I know I have and will alway remember it. There are …
AgroBlogger Adrian Krebs
He is the AgroBlogger. He’s Adrian Krebs. Adrian is the president of the Swiss Agricultural Journalists Guild and he was my partner for a presentation to the IFAJ Master Class and Boot Camp yesterday. I thought I’d share a conversation with him about why he’s blogging even though he is currently not working as an agricultural journalist. However, he still …