Our time in Guelph is at an end at least for the 2011 IFAJ Congress. This evening we had a “taste of Canada.” Here’s the starter display of food art we grazed through this evening. Following this we were treated to food stations featuring various foods of Canada. I spent quite a bit of time at the fresh shucked oysters …
IFAJ Strategic Survey Results
IFAJ conducted a survey of membership by a strategic committee and providing some results from the survey today was IFAJ Senior VP, Markus Rediger, LID Agricultural Information Center. The focus was on how to make IFAJ even more global. I’m sure information will be coming out of the IFAJ office after the conference and a report is being produced to …
IFAJ Japan Relief Effort Very Successful
During the delegate meeting of the IFAJ Congress we heard how things are going in Japan following the earthquake and tsunami disaster. As you may know, IFAJ helped organize a call for support and the results were €12,072 Euros being contributed to relief efforts! The donation will be managed by the Japan Agricultural Journalists Association. With us is a delegation …
IFAJ State of the Union
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 …