2023 NZGAJC Photography and Journalism Awards

Entries are now open!

The Guild offers a series of awards each year, in conjunction with our sponsors, for excellence in written and broadcast agricultural journalism.

We've opened entries for the 2023 NZGAJC Photography and Journalism Awards.

The winners will be announce at the Awards Night in Wellington on Friday 10 November. 

Register for your spot at the 2023 Awards Night here

Entries close on 08 October 2023


Ministry for Primary Industries Rongo Award – An Award for Excellence in Agricultural Journalism

The Rongo Award is for journalism, broadcast or written, but not advertising or advertorial copy.  

This award requires TWO feature articles on separate subjects, or a SINGLE THEME SERIES, on any aspect of New Zealand agriculture or the primary sector, which has been published or broadcast during the 12 months prior to 31 July 2023.

The judges will consider the following points when considering entries:

  • choice of subject in terms of topicality, educational and industrial value, news value and originality; thoroughness and enterprise shown in gathering the information, accuracy in interpretation and skill in presenting it.

The award carries a first prize of $2500, a certificate and a trophy, and there will be a second prize of $500.

This award is only open to financial members of the NZGAJC.

Submit your entry here


NZGAJC Primary Sector Communications Campaign Award

This award recognises excellence in delivery of a communications campaign across the primary sector to address an industry issue or challenge.

The award is for an outstanding agricultural communications project or campaign, either short or long term, undertaken by a corporate, an agency, comms team, or an individual within an agricultural organisation.

The project or campaign may be, but is not limited to:

  • Social or viral media
  • Reputation-building
  • Staff communications
  • Customer or stakeholder relations
  • Financial or investor relations
  • Community engagement

Measurement of success will be closely related to achieving both organisation or campaign/project objectives.

The award carries a prize of $1000, which should be shared between those involved in the project/campaign.

This award is only open to financial members of the NZGAJC.

Read more details about the conditions of entry

Submit your entry here


OverseerFM Award for Farm Planning Digital Storytelling

Telling stories about integrated farm planning approaches is about covering all areas of a farming operation. It covers climate change, freshwater, animal welfare, biosecurity, the use of technology, and people management. 

This new award recognises excellence in telling stories digitally that share a picture of a future state through podcast episodes, videos or a combination of photography, graphics, data visualisation, and other visual means, but not advertising or advertorial copy.

This award requires TWO digital stories on separate subjects, or a SINGLE THEME episode or programme, on any aspect of farm planning, which has been published during the 12 months prior to 31 July 2023. 

The winner will receive $750.

This award is open to all New Zealand-based journalists and communicators. Non-financial members of the NZGAJC will be invoiced a $25 entry fee.

Submit your entry here


Ko Tātou This Is Us Biosecurity Journalism

This award is sponsored by the Ministry for Primary Industries. Its purpose is to recognise the range and quality of journalism arising from the increased profile of, and interest in biosecurity issues, the importance of biosecurity to New Zealand’s future and the building of our biosecurity team of 4.7 million.

It also reflects the desire to foster quality journalism that tells the story behind a biosecurity event. 

The Award will provide recognition of stories and media coverage associated with increasing awareness and understanding of biosecurity and its impacts on our environment, economy, society and culture.  

Only one entry of TWO articles or a SINGLE THEME series per person, unless part of another shared entry. Entries must not be advertising or advertorial.

The winner will receive $1000 and a certificate. Entries must have been published, broadcast or delivered in the 12 months to 31 July 2023.

The judges will not consider aspects out of the control of the entrants e.g. layout, headlines and other display problems. Entrants must, however, make clear on the entry form those aspects of the submission that were beyond their control.

Any New Zealand-based journalist or communicator is eligible to enter the award. However, there is a charge of $25 for journalists who are not members of the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators.

Submit your entry here


Rural Photography Award

The award requires ONE photograph 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.

It must have appeared in a newspaper or magazine and either supports a news or feature article or is a stand-alone photo with a simple caption. The award is for agricultural news or feature photography. It does not include photographs taken for advertising or promotion use or for commercial use – for example calendars, brochures etc. The photograph must have been published in the 12 months prior to 31 July 2023.

It can be either black or white or colour.

We require a digital, high resolution image of your photo, along with a digital copy of the page of the publication it appeared in.

The winner will receive $750 and a certificate. 

The Guild and the sponsor reserve the right to reprint the winning entry and other selected entries to publicise the award or on the guild’s website, without reproduction or royalty charges, but with credit given to the photographer and publication in which it appeared.

This award is only open to financial members of the NZGAJC.

Submit you entry here


Pāmu Agricultural Journalism Encouragement Award

This award was established by the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators, and sponsored by Pāmu. It's designed to acknowledge and recognise the work of journalists who have been specialising in agricultural journalism for three years or less. Please note, past winners of this award are not eligible to enter..

Entries require a portfolio of THREE articles, and can be a combination of news items, features, or profiles, but all must be agricultural-based or focused. Entries must not be advertising or advertorial. 

Entries must have been published, broadcast or delivered in the 12 months to 31 July 2023. 

The winner will receive $500.

Any New Zealand-based journalist or communicator is eligible to enter the award. However, there is a charge of $25 for journalists who are not members of the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists and Communicators.  

Submit your entry here


Beef + Lamb Hard News Award

This award is designed to recognise excellence in hard news journalism, focusing on a sheepmeat or beef news story, from the farm to the market.

Subjects reported can be wide-ranging, from on-farm through to the wider relationships and activities in the red meat processing industry, marketing (both domestic and international) and any other topics from pasture to plate.

The award recipient will demonstrate excellent understanding of the issues facing the particular product, sector or markets, and effectively and accurately communicate them.

The entry is to be made up of TWO articles, features or programmes, in any medium, published in the 12 months to 31 July 2023. Only one entry per person, unless also part of a team entry. Entries must not be advertising or advertorial.

The winner will receive $1000.

This award is only open to financial members of the NZGAJC.

Submit your entry here


AgResearch Science Writers Award

This award is designed to enhance standards of science writing, especially about pastoral agriculture. Readers have to be inspired by science, to come away with an understanding that science holds the key to New Zealand’s future prosperity, and that technology for the next decade is under research right now.

The winner will receive $1000 and a certificate. Entries must have been published, broadcast or delivered in the 12 months to 31 July 2023.

One entry of TWO articles or a SINGLE THEME series per person, unless part of another shared entry. Entries must not be advertising or advertorial.

The judges will not consider aspects out of the control of the entrants e.g. layout, headlines and other display problems. Entrants must, however, make clear on the entry form those aspects of the submission that were beyond their control.

This award is only open to financial members of the NZGAJC.

Submit your entry here


Alliance Group Ltd Red Meat Industry Journalism Award

This award recognises the ability to communicate the complexities of the red meat industry. It will focus on all aspects of the red meat industry, from genetics, breeding, on-farm, processing, marketing, and all issues facing the red meat industry. It will include beef, sheep, and deer.

The award will canvas any issues facing the New Zealand red meat sector. It should be as broad as possible and can include research, innovation, or people involved in the sector. The recipient will demonstrate excellent understanding of these complexities and effectively communicates the industry’s response in a way which both inspires and informs readers.

The winner will receive $1000 and a certificate.  Entries must have been published, broadcast or delivered in the 12 months to 31 July 2023.

One entry of TWO articles or a SINGLE THEME series per person, unless part of another shared entry. Entries must not be advertising or advertorial.

The judges will not consider aspects out of the control of the entrants e.g. layout, headlines and other display problems.  Entrants must, however, make clear on the entry form those aspects of the submission that were beyond their control.

This award is only open to financial members of the NZGAJC.

Submit your entry here


DairyNZ Dairy Industry Journalism Award

This award will focus on all aspects of the dairy sector, from genetics, breeding, on-farm, processing, marketing, to all the many issues facing the New Zealand dairy industry. Each entry should be as broad as possible and can include research, innovation, or people involved in the sector.

The winner will demonstrate excellent understanding of these complexities and effectively communicate farmers’ response to farm business challenges in a way which both inspires and informs readers or viewers.

The entry is to be made up of TWO articles or a SINGLE THEME episode or programme, in any medium - print, radio, digital, or television - published in 12 months to 31 July 2023. They can be on the same topic in separate editions.

The award is open to any New Zealand-based journalist and is not restricted to NZGAJC members. However, an entry fee of $25 is required for non-members.

Entries must not be advertising or advertorial. 

This award carries a prize of $1000.

Submit your entry here


Federated Farmers Agricultural Broadcast Journalism Award

This award has been established to recognise excellence in the broadcasting side of agricultural or agribusiness journalism, either radio or television, and will cover all aspects of the genre – hard news, features, technology transfer, etc.

The recipient will demonstrate excellent understanding of farming issues and the agribusiness sector, and effectively communicate with the target audience – farmers, rural communities, stakeholders, urban and town audiences etc.  

Entries must be of TWO programmes broadcast in the 12 months to 31 July 2023. The Award will be judged on the overall quality of writing or scripting, how interest is captured and complexity explained, and also on the choice and relevance of any supporting information. 

The winner will receive $750. 

This award is only open to financial members of the NZGAJC.

Submit your entry here


TUANZ New Zealand Rural Communities Award

TUANZ, the association for the users of digital technology and connectivity is proud sponsor of this award to recognise the importance of rural communities. It celebrates journalism that helps raise awareness about the challenges and opportunities faced by those working and living across Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Entries must be TWO articles or a SINGLE THEME episode or programme, based on the theme of rural communities. Entries must have been published, broadcast or delivered in the 12 months to 31 July 2023 and must not be advertising or advertorial.   

The winner will receive $750.

This award is only open to financial members of the NZGAJC.

Submit your entry here


Zespri Export Journalism Award

This award recognises the vital importance to New Zealand’s economy of its primary exports. It will focus on all aspects of the primary sector exports – on farm, processing, packaging, transport, marketing, research, aimed at increasing market share. The articles might include innovation or redevelopment of products or systems.

The primary sector ranges from horticulture, wine, dairy, red meat, forestry and aquaculture, machinery and technology. It could include features on people driving these sectors.

The award recipient will demonstrate excellent understanding of the issues facing the particular product, sector or markets, and effectively and accurately communicate them.

The entry is to be made up of TWO articles, features or programmes, in any medium, published in the 12 months to 31 July 2023.  Only one entry per person, unless also part of a team entry. Entries must not be advertising or advertorial.

The winner will receive $1000.

This award is only open to financial members of the NZGAJC.

Submit your entry here


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If you have questions about the awards please email secretary@nzgajc.org.nz