Awards – ECFWA

King Charless III Medal recipients

Mary Feldskov — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 14:20:33 +0000

Three ECFWA members were honoured with King Charles III medals at a ceremony in the Senate of Canada on November 22.
The medal honours Canadians who have distinguished themselves through outstanding contributions and service to their communities, their province, and Canada.

Congratulations to:

Kelly Daynard, nominated by Senator Rob Black

Hugh Maynard, nominated by Senator Rob Black

Brenda Trask, nominated by Senator Percy Downe

2024 Excellence in Agriculture Awards

Mary Feldskov — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 05:12:03 +0000

The Government of Ontario’s annual Excellence in Agriculture Awards for 2024 is recognizing farmers, processors, industry organizations, and businesses whose contributions are strengthening growth across the province’s $50.7 billion agri-food sector. Thirteen winners and 16 honourable mentions in agriculture excellence across 11 diverse categories are being honoured for their efforts this year.

“This year’s Excellence in Agriculture Award winners inspire me and demonstrate the extent of the passion and talent that sets Ontario agri-food apart in a competitive global market,” said Rob Flack, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “My ministry and our government will continue working with leaders across the sector to reinforce the right conditions for long-term growth and dynamism.”

The recipient of the centrepiece Minister’s Award is Farm & Food Care Ontario, who build partnerships to help raise awareness about food and farming in Ontario. They foster meaningful connections through marketing campaigns and resources including The Real Dirt on Farming, while hosting farm tours and events such as Breakfast on the Farm. The organization also provides training to develop strong agricultural ambassadors who educate the public on where their food originates.

“The Board and staff of Farm & Food Care Ontario are delighted to be receiving this award from the province,” said Crispin Colvin, Chair of Farm & Food Care Ontario. “Our work with farmers and food partners helps to reinforce trust and confidence in local farming and food production. This benefits us all. It is so rewarding to see the important work we do supported by our government partners.”

The Excellence in Agriculture Awards aligns with the goals of the Grow Ontario Strategy, including spreading awareness of Ontario grown local food and our agri-food supply chain, and encouraging the consumption of high-quality, locally sourced food.

Congratulations to ECFWA winners at the CFWF awards

Mary Feldskov — Fri, 11 Oct 2024 00:20:52 +0000

The Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation (CFWF) announced the winners of its annual writing and photography awards on Oct. 5 during a special awards ceremony and banquet at the CFWF annual conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Read the full news release.

CFWF presented gold, silver and bronze awards in 12 writing categories as well as awards for Communicator of the Year, Feature of the Year, Story of the Year and Farm Writer of the Year. It also awarded gold, silver and bronze in three photography categories and an award for Photographer of the Year.

ECFWA winners include:

Electronic Media – Video

Jack McPherson Awards

Robert Irwin and Don Stoneman receive Lifetime Achievement Awards

Mary Feldskov — Wed, 09 Oct 2024 14:44:04 +0000

At the annual conference of the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation (CFWF) in Halifax on Saturday, Ontario agricultural journalists Robert Irwin of Vankleek Hill and Don Stoneman of Bancroft were presented with CFWF Lifetime Achievement Awards.

The pair’s careers, achievements, and contributions to Canadian agricultural journalism have been intertwined since they met as colleagues working at Farm & Country magazine in the late 1980s. When that publication folded in 1999, a group of its employees quickly regrouped, producing the first edition of Better Farming magazine only four months later, Irwin and Stoneman developed a reputation for leading a team of strong investigative journalists that covered stories across the spectrum, including farm animal welfare, stray voltage and its effects on livestock, the Ontario government’s decision to end the Slots at Racetrack program, the role of women in farming, neonicotinoids, sewage spills and bypasses from urban sources and more. They also covered farmers’ mental health issues years before they were given prominence in mainstream farm discussions. Among the magazine’s best-known pieces was a series on Lyme disease that won both national and international awards.

In 2007, they broke the story that later became known as the ‘Pigeon King’ scheme, with coverage containing more than 50 stories as the issue was first publicized, charges laid and through the court case. In years since, it has been used as the basis for both a play and a feature on CBC’s Farm Crime series. Former colleague Mary Baxter said, “They worked hard to uphold the principles of good, investigative journalism, and they gave their staff the chance to dig deep into really important issues.”

Kelly Daynard, Bernard Tobin, and John Muggeridge, all members of the Eastern Canada Farm Writers’ Association, submitted the nomination, and Baxter and other agricultural journalists and communications professionals from across the country submitted letters of support. Kelly Daynard and CFWF president Allison Finnamore co-presented the award to the recipients.