The Guild of Agricultural Journalists presented the details of the Guild of Agricultural Journalism Awards 2018 to Michael Creed, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. The awards, which are held every two years, aim to encourage excellence in the coverage of farming, food and rural life on the island of Ireland.

The awards are sponsored by FBD Insurance. Fiona Muldoon, CEO, FBD Insurance said:

We are delighted to once again sponsor the Guild of Agricultural Journalism Awards which celebrates the highest standards in agri-journalism. It has never been more important for journalism to communicate the issues clearly and to be of service to the agri-industry. FBD Insurance is proud to work alongisde the Guild of Agri Journalists on this important event.

The Guild of Agricultural Journalism Awards are open to journalists in national and local media and, also to consultants in the communications sector. Each entry will be assessed and scored by an independent judging panel* from across the industry overseen by Chairman of the judging panel Zoe Kavanagh, Chief Executive of the National Dairy Council (NDC).

Speaking at the launch of the awards, Zoe Kavanagh said:

These biennial awards are hugely important in acknowledging the expertise and creativity of our agri journalists and communicators. These professionals work tirelessly to understand the many complex issues facing the agri-food industry and present them to us, the industry and general public, in an engaging and easily digestible manner.

Award Categories
There are nine distinct awards categories as follows:

• Best Print News Article
• Best Print Feature Article
• Best TV Programme/Story
• Best Radio Programme/Story
• Best Technical Article
• Best Photo
• Best Online
• Best Targeted Campaign
• Best Coverage/Use Of Guild Event 

Prizes and Entry Details
There are attractive cash prizes for the winners in all categories and the overall award, ‘The Bull’ bronze trophy, plus cash prize, is presented to the Category Winner deemed to be of exceptional merit by the adjudicating panel.

The closing date for entries is Friday, August 31, 2018. The awards will take place on Friday, November 2, 2018, in the Castleknock Hotel & Spa.

*Judging Panel

• Zoe Kavanagh, (Chairman), Chief Executive, National Dairy Council
• Anna Marie McHugh, National Ploughing Association
• Johnny O’Hanlon, Director, Local Ireland – representative body for local newspapers
• Pat O’Keeffe, Head of Farmer Relations, Glanbia
• Dr. Karina Pierce, UCD School of Agriculture & Food Science
• Richard Wright, former Agricultural Correspondent, BBC Northern Ireland.