October 2018
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Congratulations to our 2018 winners Congratulationstothewinnersofthevariousjournalismawards.Thisisthecompletelist:* Ministry for Primary Industries Rongo Award recognisingexcellenceinagriculturaljournalism,forajointentrybyHughStringlemanandNealWallace(picturedbelowwithMPI’sJohnWalsh)inFarmers Weekly.ThisisthesecondRongoHugh(insetphoto)haswon,thelastone30yearsago.Runners-upweretwoentries,placedsecondequal,fromRNZCountry Life programmestaffers,SusanMurrayandCarolStiles.* TheAgResearch Science Writers AwardwaswonbyKateEvans,forarticlesappearingintheNew Zealand GeographicandForests News.* TheRural Women New Zealand Journalism AwardwaswonbyRNZCountry Life’sCarolStileswhoalsowontheFederated Farmers Broadcast Journalism Award.* TheDairy Industry Award waswonbyJackieHarriganforarticlesinThe Dairy Exporter.Shewonthisawardlastyear,aswell.* TheAGMARDT Agribusiness AwardwaswonbySonitaChandar,forarticleswhichappearedintheNZ Dairy Farmer.* TheZespri Export Journalism Award was
wonbyStuff journalistGeraldPiddock.HealsowontheRural Women New Zealand Rural Connectivity Award.* TheAlliance Group Ltd Red Meat Industry Journalism Award waswonbySallyRae,oftheOtago Daily Times.
TheBeef + Lamb New Zealand Hard News Award waswonbyWellingtonfreelancer,AliSpencer,fortwoarticlesinFoodNZmagazine.* TheFederated Farmers Rural Photography Award waswonbyfreelancephotographer,EmmaMcCarthy,foraphotowhichappearedonthecoverofNZ Dairy Exporter.* TheGuild’sownaward,theAgricultural Journalism Encouragement Award, waswonbyEstherTaunton(picturedwithGuildpresidentElaineFisher),ofTaranaki,forarticleswhichappearedinStuff.* TheHorticulture New Zealand Journalism AwardwaswonbyElaineFisherforarticlesinCoast and Country.ThisisthethirdyearElainehaswontheaward.
TheGuild’sthanksgotoourwonderfulfamilyofsponsors,andthedinnersponsors,Beef+LambNewZealandandtheMeatIndustryAssociation.
Specialthankstoallthejudgesoftheseawardsfortheirhardwork.Itisn’taneasytask,judgingtheseawards,andwithoutthemtheywouldn’thappen!
Past presidents at the dinnerItwasgreattoseesixpastpresidentsattheAwardsDinneronFridaynight,andtoacknowledgetheircontributionstotheguildoveranumberofyears.TheyhelpedensurethattheGuildisinthegoodheartitcurrentlyis.
Backrow,fromleft:MickCalder,PeterBurke,JanetTyson.Fromrow,fromleft,DebbieGee,ElaineFisher(currentpresident),AliSpencer,TrevorWalton.
Officers elected at the AGM President ElaineFisherVicepresident JackieHarriganTreasurer MickCalderSecretary SueMiller
Re-elected to executive: AliSpencer,SaraPassmore,GeraldPiddock,NealWallace,SamHalstead.Newly elected:TimFulton,Anne-MarieCase-Miller,SherylBrown,HayleyGavan.
AndasadfarewelltoLeighCatleywhoseworkatFederatedFarmershasoccupiedmoreofhertimethansheexpected.Soshehasstooddownfromhervice-presidentrole,andalsoasamemberofthenationalexecutive.WearesadtoloseyouLeigh,forallyourcontributions–butparticularly,forme,duringtheplanningforCongress2015.
New associate membershipAgradualdropinmembershipoverthepastcoupleofyearshaspartlybeentheresultofanumberofformermembersnowworkingasfreelancersorascontractors,whereagricultureisonlypartoftheirwork.
Whilewehavebeenabletorebuildnumbersabitinthepastyear,adecisionwasmadetointroduceanewassociatemembershipcategory,andsubmittedittotheAGMforapproval.Thiscategoryisforpeopleworkingasjournalists,communicatorsandalliedoccupationsandwhospendlessthat50%oftheirworkingtime
workingintheagriculturalorprimaryindustrysector.Itcanbeinwriting,editing,filmingorrecording.
Therateforassociatemembershipis60%ofthefullmembershipfee.
Ifanyoneisinterestedinbecominganassociatemember,orknowsofsomeonewhocouldbeinterested,[email protected]
MembershipdidincreasesincethelastAGM,becauseoftheeffortsofthe
NationalExecutive,particularlyAliSpencer.Itcurrentlystandsataround100madeupof:sevenlifemembers,66ordinarymembers,fourcorporatemembers(withaminimumofthreepercompany,thatis12members),andtwogroupmembers(whichbetweenthemhavenominated19individuals).
* Corporatemembershipisforcompaniesandcorporatebodiesintheagriculturalfieldthathaveaninterestinfurtheringagriculturaljournalismanditsassociatedforms.
* Groupmembershipisdesignedforagriculturalpublishingcompanies,andothersimilarorganisations,whichemploy/retainatleast9agriculturaljournalists.
Briefing sessions successful!Anna Jones – special guest speakerAnnaJones,whosetravelfromtheUKfortheGuild’s60thanniversarycelebrationswasfundedcourtesyofAGMARDT,addressedoneofthebriefingsessions,tookpartinapaneldiscussion,andwasguestspeakerattheawardsdinner.
Shespokeoftheseriousdisconnectinmanycountries,betweenthoselivinginthecitiesandlargertownsandthefarmerswhoproducemuchofthefoodtheyeat.Andofthefarmerswhostillexpectthemtovalue,understandandappreciatewhattheydo.Also,thereisalackofconcernaboutproductivelandonthefringesofcitiesandtownsbeingswallowedupforhousingdevelopments
ThiswasparticularlyevidentinmuchoftheUSA,
New vice-president Jackie Harrigan
wheremostofthepopulationisfourorfivegenerationsfromtheland,andintheUKwheretheyareeightorninegenerationsfromtheland.Butindevelopingcountries,suchasKenyawherethreequartersofthepopulationstillhavecloselinkstotheland,mostpeopleunderstandfarmersandknowhowtogrowcropsorfeedanimals.
In2016,sheappliedforaNuffieldFarmingScholarship,whichenabledhertostudythecoverageofagriculturetopicsinthemainstreammedia,bridginghertwoworlds–farmingandagriculture.Afteryearsinnewspaperjournalism,researchingandpresentingfortelevisionincludingBBC,shehasrecentlyestablishedanorganisationcalledJustFarmersinwhichsheprovidesmediaeducation,underpinnedbyadatabaseoffarmerswillingtocommentonissuesorcontributetomediastories.
ShesaidNZdoesnotseemtohavethesameurban-ruraldivideasBritainbecauseoftheimportanceoftheprimarysectorandNZ’ssmallerpopulation.Jeff Grant, Red Meat Sector Brexit representativeTheredmeatsector’sBrexitrepresentativeJeffGranttookuptheLondon-basedpositioninJuly.TheGuildwasluckytonabhimduringawhirlwindtripbacktoNewZealandtospeakfranklyatthebriefingday.TheclockistickingintheBrexitnegotiations,henoted,whicharefurtherapartnowthanwhentheystartedinJune2016,whentheBritishpublicvotedtoexittheEuropeanUnion.HeexplainedacomplexwebfacestheUKandEUtradenegotiators.
AnearlyagreementtosimplysplittheWorldTradeOrganisation’stariff-ratequotasbetweenthetwohasresultedinstrongprotestationslaidbyNewZealandandotherthirdcountriesanditwilltaketimetoresolvetheissues.NewZealandisnotseekingmore
WTOquota,heisarguing,simplythestatusquo–anychangestotonnages,willneedtobemadeinthetwoseparatefreetradeagreements,firstlytheEU-NZFTA,andsecondlytheUK-NZFTA,forwhichnegotiationscannotstartuntiltheUKformallyexitstheEU.
Currently,three
optionsforBrexitareonthetable–softorhardBrexitandnodeal–withamorehardBrexitornodeallookinglikethemostlikelyoutcome.FundamentaltotheEUandUKsolvingtheissueisfindingaresolutiontotheIrishborderproblem.Asanoptimist,Grantwasconfident,however,thatadealcouldbefoundandïtwillallcometogetherattheeleventhhour.TheEUCouncilwillmeeton17-18OctobertodiscusstheUKproposals,andagaininNovemberifnoresolutionisagreedinOctober,andthefinalEUCouncilmeetingwilltakeplaceon13December.Ifthatallgoeswell,theUKParliamentmustpasslegislationthroughbyChristmas.Ifthathappens,andahardorsoftBrexitisagreed,theUKwillleavetheEUofficiallyon29March2019andbegina21monthtransitionperiodpriortoitsuntetheringfromtheEUattheendofDecember2020.
Ifitdoesn’t,it’sanodealandeverything’soffthetable.TheUKbecomesathirdcountrylikeeveryoneelse,saidGrant.Hissenseisthey’vegottimetogetitright,“butthedamageisalreadydone,”hesaid,notingBrexitiscostingtheBritisheconomy£500millionadayandcommercialdecisionsarebeingmade,includingbyNewZealandmeatexporters,inavacuum.
Steven Carden, Chief Executive, PamuTheEarthcan’twaitanother30yearsforhumanstotakeactiononclimatechange–wasamongthemessagesinSteven’saddresstotheseminar.Thenext10yearswillbecrucialinthebattletostopfurtherglobalwarming.WithoutactiontheEarth’sclimateandenvironment,andthepolaricecapsinparticular,willbeirrevocablyaltered,hewarned.Despitethosedirepredictions,StevensaidhewasnotoverlypessimisticaboutthefutureforbothNewZealandprimaryindustriesandPamu.
Steven’saddresswasthoughtprovoking,andinformativewithsupportingfactsandfigures.Hisrelaxedstyleofdeliverymadeiteasytofollowandengaging.
Anna Jones 2You Know You’re an Ag Journo When… Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyouhavemorethanonepairofgumboots. Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyoucomehomeandyourpartnersays:“Yourhairsmellsofpigs.” Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyourepeatthesamemantratoeverwaryfarmers:“Don’tworry,I’mfromafarmingbackgroundmyself.” Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyou’vebalancedprecariouslyinthecabofamovingtractorwhilewritingnotesorholdingamicrophone. Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyou’vemissedadeadlineorgotdangerouslyclosetomissingonebecauseafarmerwon’tstoptalkingandletyouleave.
Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyoulooklonginglyateveryfarmdogyoumeetbutknow,withyourworkinghours,youcan’thaveoneofyourown. Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyougetannoyedatafarmingstoryhittingthemainstreamnewswhenyoualreadyreportedonitmonthsago. Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyoureadfarmingmagazinesinthehairdressers. Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyouborenon-farmingfriendsinrestaurantsabouthowthefoodonthemenuwasproduced. Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyouregularlygetlostlookingforfarms. Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyou’vehadnearmisseswithlivestockand/ormachinery. Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyoureturntotheofficewithamic,notebookorcamerasplatteredwithmud. Youknowyou’reanagjournowhenyouwish,deepdown,youwereactuallyafarmer.Butthenyourememberwhyyoubecameajournalistinstead.
Anna Jones 3Duringherafterdinnerspeech,AnnaspokeofagameshecreatedcalledFarmerJargonBingo,whichsheplayedwithfriendsoneeveningathomeinBristol.ItrequiredherurbanfriendstoprovidetheirdefinitionofcommonlyusedfarmingtermsHerearesomeofthesomeentertaininganswers.• drillingwasassumedtobetheimpregnationofananimal• storecattlewasashed• drenchingsheepwasdippingtocontrolticksandmites• stabilisercowsusedacontraptionwithwheelsthatwasattachedtohelpcowsunabletowalk.Asentertainingasthegamewasandtheinfluenceofredwineaside,Jonessaiditillustratedtheurban-ruraldisconnect!
Code of EthicsEarlierthisyeartheGuildproposedtheintroductionofaCodeofEthics,partofmarkingour60thanniversary.ThedraftwasapprovedattheAGMbutthesecondhalf,whichoutlinesdiscipilinarymeasurestheguildcouldtakeinthecaseofanybreaches,washeldforlegalchecking.TheapprovedCodeofEthicsisattheendofthisnewsletterandwillappearontheGuild’swebsitesoon.
Membership DirectoryAfteralltherecentchangesinourworld,wewillshortlybeupdatingtheMembershipDirectory.Thisisalistprimarilydesignedformemberstokeepintouchandtohelpthoseseekingspecialistagriculturaljournalistsandcommunicatorsindifferentfields.Ifyouhavetime,pleasecanyoucheckoutyourcurrentlistinginthe2017Directoryatthewebsite(seehttp://www.nzgajc.org.nz/uploads/PDFs/MEMBERSHIP-LIST-2017-updated-November-2017.pdf )[email protected](withMEMBERSHIPDIRECTORYinthesubjectline)OR04-9722401.Aliwillbeintouchinthenot-too-distantfuture.
(Note:thereisanoptiontoopt-outofinclusionintheDirectory.Justletusknow.)
Guild life member and former president diesGuildlifememberNevilleMartin,whodiedrecentlyinWellingtonaged77,wasguildpresidentin2006-07andAgriculturalCommunicatoroftheYearin2002.JonMorganremembersafriendwhobroughtarefreshinghumourtoanyoccasion.
IfirstmetNevilleMartinin1971whenhewasnewlyinstalledasoneofatwo-manteamhandlingtheDairyBoard’scommunicationsinWellington.Onthesideofhistypewriterwasastickerreading“I’mbackingNewZealand”,apopularsloganamongGovernmentdepartmentsandmajorexportersatthetime.Underneath,Nevillehadadded,“I’vegotitwithJapaninthesecondleg”.Itwasanintroduction
Anna filming the Countryfile Winter Special with Matt Baker, camera man Nigel Bradley and soundman, Stephen Atherton. CountryFile was the most watched factual programme on British televison for a number of years.
tomeofNeville’sbrandofslyironicalhumourthathefoundhardtorepressinallaspectsofhisdailylife.
Nevillespentmorethan30yearsattheDairyBoard,onlyleavingwhenhewasnotwantedbythenewly-formedFonterrain2003,adecisionmuchlamentedbyjournalistswhohadgrowntorelyonhisopen,frankandapproachablecommsstyle.Hestartedhisowncompany,TooWriteCommunications,andbecameafreelancewriter.In2014,Nevillepublishedahumorous100-pageaccountofhisworkinglife.
By the Seat of My Pants,anditscompanionpieceonNeville’schildhood,Playing Against the Wind,whichevokesWellingtoninthe1940sand50s,areinterlacedwithmostlyself-deprecatingwitandarestillavailablefromtheirpublishersandfromlibrariesintheWellingtonregion.
InBy the Seat of My Pantshewroteofaworldmuchlessrestrainedbyredtapeandpettybureaucratsthantoday’s,inwhichtheunconventional,theeccentric,theoddballandeventhedownrightincompetentcouldstillfindajob.HestartedoutasacadetreporterwiththeEvening Postin1959andfiveyearslatermovedtoajobasapressofficerfortheDepartmentofTourismandPublicity.HetoldofworkingforthreepoliticalpartiesatthesameelectionandbeingpresssecretarytoamenagerieofGovernmentministersbeforeendingupattheDairyBoard.
Hedescribedtheboardpostas“oneofthebestPRjobsinthecountry”.
“ThesimpletruthwasthatthedairyindustrywasvitaltoNewZealandandtherewasrealdramainthefactthatitwastryingtomakeitswayintheworldagainsthugeodds.IfIcouldbeaccusedoftryingtoputaspinonanythingitwastopointoutthecrucialimportanceoftheindustry’sco-operativestructuretothefarmers-andtothecountry.
“Apartfromthatitwasacaseoflettingthefactsspeakforthemselves.Playingitstraight,Ifigured,wouldpayoffinthelonggame.”
Relationswithjournalists?“Ididmysubversivebesttoencouragehard-nosedprofessionalism,becauseinthelong-term,asycophanticmediadoesnofavourstoanyone.Andanyway,toputtherunning
ofthecountry’smostimportantindustryunderthespotlightishardlytreasonous.”
Healsofoundtimetowriteseveralrevuesandacoupleofpantomimes,andwasaregularcontributortothe1970sanarchisticsatiricalmagazine Cock.Inlateryears,hefoundanotheroutletforhishumourinasteadystreamofletterstotheeditorpublishedintheDominion Post.Outsideofthis,hepursuedafitnessregimecentredonrunning.Itwasn’tuntilthe1980swhenIencounteredhimat10kmandhalfmarathoneventsthatIrealisedhowgoodhewas.Atthistimehewouldhavebeeninhisearly40sbutwasstillgoodenoughtobeamongthetop10finishersatlower
NorthIslandevents.Hekeptthisuptillhislate60swhenillhealthforcedhimtostop.
Neville’stimeasguildpresidentwasmarkedbyasenseoffun.Healwayssawthelightersideofthingsandwhileheoperatedatbreakneckspeedonformaloccasionsliketheguildagmandawardsdinner,hisoff-the-cuffspeecheswerethingsofbeauty.Ifoundmyselfgravitatingtohissidesonottomissthewitticismsthatrolledoffhistonguewithseemingease.
IlastsawNevilleataregularlunchwithafewex-journosatPaekakarikitwoweeksago.HemovedalotslowerandthereparteewashamperedbymedicationbutthetwinkleinhiseyeandapervasivewrysmilewasevidencethattheNevilleofoldstilllurkedbeneaththesurface. (Thank you Jon)
Respected journalist diesAnotherlong-timejournalistandforsomeyearsanagriculturaljournalist,RossAnnabeldiedinearlySeptember.Ajournalistandauthor,heworkedonanumberofnewspapershereandinAustralia,spenttimeasajournalismtutor,andwroteseveralbooks,mainlyautobiographical.Forsomeyearsinhislaterlife,heworkedasfreelanceagriculturalreporterforRural News.
New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Jounralists and Communicators
Code of Professional Ethics
MembersoftheNewZealandGuildofAgriculturalJournalistsandCommunicatorsarewriters,broadcastersandcommunicatorsofworkrelatingtothiscountry’sprimaryproductionsector,whichcontributesaroundtwo-thirdsofthenation’sexportedgoodsandisamajorregionalemployer.
MembersagreetofollowtheGuildCodeofEthicsintheirwork:Tostrivetoachievethehighestprofessionalstandards,respectthetruthandtoalwaysbeaccurate,objective,thorough,fair,politeandhonestinourwork,includingonsocialmedia,whetherwithinterviewees,colleagues,otheragriculturaljournalists,communicatorsorclients. Inmeetingtheabovestatement,membersoftheNewZealandGuildofAgriculturalJournalistsandCommunicatorsundertaketo:1. ConductthemselvesinawaythatwillnotdiscredittheGuildoranyothermembers.2. Avoidconflictsofinterestthatmayinfluencethemintheirprofessionalduties,aswellasanyappearanceofsuchconflicts3. Notallowprofessionaldutiestobeinfluencedbyanyconsideration,giftoradvantageofferedand,whereappropriate,todiscloseanyoffer4. Presentworkthatisfairandaccurateandthatcommentandconjecturearenotpresentedasestablishedfact5. Respectallconfidencesreceivedinthecourseofwork6. Notallowthepublicationoffalseormisleadingmaterial,orknowinglyallowittobepublishedorbroadcastontheirbehalf7. Respecttheintellectualpropertyrightsofothersandnotknowinglyuseorappropriatetofinancialorprofessionaladvantage,anymaterialorotherintellectualproperty,whetherinrelationtowrittenwords,photographyandgraphics,advertisingandpromotionalmaterial,withoutproperrecognition8. Beawareofrelevantlegislation,suchascopyrightandprivacylaws,andhowitappliestotheirwork9. Alwaysidentifythemselvesandtheiremployersbeforeobtaininganyinterviewforpublicationorbroadcastandadviseifaninterviewisbeingrecorded.10. Allowfaircorrectionoferrorsinthenextavailableeditionorbroadcastprogrammeorpodcast.Ifonlinecontentiscorrectedafterithasbeenposted,theheading‘correctedorupdatedversion’shouldbepostedatthetopofthedocument,alongwithanexplanationofthecorrection.
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