A freelance journalist based in Rangiora, Hugh de Lacy, took out this year’s top award for agricultural journalists at the awards night for the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators.

He won the supreme award, the Rongo Award recognising excellence in agricultural journalism, for articles which appeared in MG Business focussing on far-reaching changes to the strong wool industry and on doing business with China.   The runner-up was Dominion Post farming editor Jon Morgan.

At Friday night’s awards dinner, a total of eight awards were presented, seven for journalism and one for photography. The key objectives of the awards are the encouragement and recognition of excellence in agricultural journalism.

A new award this year is the PGG Wrightson Sustainable Land Management Award, which was established to recognise high quality communication and effective analysis of local, national and global agribusiness and environmental factors that impact on the sustainability of farm businesses.  The inaugural winner of this award is Tim Cronshaw of The Press.

The AgResearch Science Writers Award, established to enhance standards of science writing, especially about pastoral agriculture, was won by Lynda Gray of Country-Wide.

The Horticulture New Zealand Journalism Award, set up to recognise excellence in agricultural journalism focussing on New Zealand’s horticulture industry, was won this year by Elaine Fisher, of the Bay of Plenty Times.

The Rural Women of New Zealand Award, which recognises the important contribution women make (and have always made)  in the rural community, either through their role in the farming sector or to the general rural environmentm was won by Rebecca Harper, of NZX Agri.

The AGMARDT Agribusiness Award, which recognises high quality information about and effective analysis of national, global and other agribusiness, was won by Hugh Stringleman, of NZX Agri.

The Federated Farmers Rural Photography Award, for a single photo that illustrates a rural event or activity – agricultural, horticultural, industry, human interest, on farm / off farm, or any activity reflecting life or work in rural New Zealand, was won by Dominion Post photographer, Phil Reid,.

The Guild’s own award is designed to encourage and recognise excellence among journalists with three or less years reporting on agricultural issues, The Agricultural Journalism Encouragement Award went to Andrew Stewart of NZX Agri.
For more information
Awards Administrator / Guild Secretary –       
Sue Miller,
04 233 1842    0274 510 339