AgWired coverage of IFAJ 2009 is sponsored by:
and 
The president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Mike Wilson of Farm Progress Companies opened the general session of the 2009 Congress in Fort Worth Saturday morning with a few words about the direction of the organization.
Mike reported on the further development of the IFAJ website and plans for future congresses that may include the first ever congress in South America. “We’re trying to go to as many different countries as possible,” Mike said. IFAJ is adding two new countries this year – Slovenia and Kenya.
He also talked about a history of IFAJ which is being compiled. During an interview with me, Mike related how in the ’60s the United States first became involved with the group, which originally started in Europe over 50 years ago. “It was called the International Union of Agricultural Journalists and when the Americans were approached and they said we will join but we really have a problem with the word ‘union’ so they changed it to ‘federation’ and the Americans became a part of it.”
He also talked about hiring the first IFAJ part time executive secretary Connie Siemes from Holland and what that has done to help free up the officers to do less paperwork and more member work.
Listen to an interview with Mike here:
With a free day before the real business of the 
Congress organizer Diane Johnson has been really busy today getting people to where they want to go, since this is her home turf, and she is doing a fabulous job! Many of the visitors, including those of us from the United States, can find a lot to do and see just on foot around the conference hotel. Downtown Ft. Worth is a very beautiful area with lots of local attractions like the Sid Richardson Museum featuring paintings and art of the Old West and plenty of wonderful restaurants. Diane says we have 700 people total for the IFAJ/AMS combined event, with 130 of them from other countries. 
It’s always nice to have a good working press room with internet access at any event where there are journalists at work and the 
As I sit here doing posts, I have been hearing many languages around me. That is why this is such a great event for agricultural journalists here in the United States to be able to interact with their colleagues in other countries. This is the first time in many years the Congress has been held in the United States, and the first time it has ever been held in conjunction with the Ag Media Summit, so it allows more of our IFAJ members to attend. 
The executive committee of the 
It was an absolutely gorgeous day in Ft. Worth today as our international visitors began arriving for the 
It sounds like a certain kind of soy music but it isn’t. It’s actually great advice about soybean rust and aphids.
A tasty sounding addition to your summer grill is American lamb. It looks like the competition was fierce when the American Lamb Board held their summer grilling recipe contest.
The 
It’s time to look forward to the annual Farm Progress Show. I sure hope you’ve got your hotel reservations.