IFAJ World Congress, USA » Announcement

IFAJ Congress/Ag Media Summit Photos

Chuck — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 20:33:36 +0000

We’ve got lots of photos for your viewing pleasure in our online photo album. We had some problems with it and had to delete them and re-upload them this morning. We might have a few more to add too but I think you’ll find plenty to provide you with lasting memories.

Here’s the link to use for IFAJ Congress/Ag Media Summit photos:

IFAJ/AMS 2009 Photo Album

How Did You Like Congress 2009?

Chuck — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:01:52 +0000

All registrants to the IFAJ Congress 2009 received a great wild west souvenir to take home with them. These leather note pad holders were all printed with our names. We certainly hope you enjoy them.

If you attended this year’s IFAJ Congress for your first time I’d love to know your thoughts on meeting with fellow ag journalists from other countries. Did you find it helpful? What did you get out of the relationships you made?

IFAJ/AMS 2009 Photo Album

South Texas Tour: Passport Numbers Needed

Diane — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 11:44:24 +0000

I received this note from from our Janet who is coordinating the post-Congress Tours. If you have already sent your passport number to her there is no need to respond. There are only a couple of you who still need to respond, but it is very important!

Reminder: We need your passport number by June 20, if you have signed up for the South Texas tour following the IFAJ Congress. This is because one of the tour stops, the Port of Corpus Christi, has strict security procedures. In order to obtain security clearance prior to the tour, we need to submit visitors’ passport information immediately. Please e-mail this information to me dianej@flash.net or to Janet Hunter (who e-mailed you several days ago requesting this information).

Janet Hunter janet.hunter@farmcreditbank.com

Find out who else is coming to Texas!

Diane — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 01:38:09 +0000

On Friday (26 June) I’m going to post a list of everyone who has registered from outside of the U.S. for the Congress. This way you can see who is coming from your country and other friends you have met from other Congresses. I am also going to include your ARRIVAL day because many of you have added on an extra night and we want to be sure that we have that correct. Keep in mind, we are going to pick you up at the airport, so this information is very important for you to check. Keep informed by communicating with your “buddies” too!

NOTE: Go to www.agmediasummit.com download your copy.

Some U.S. agriculture resources for your research

Diane — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 11:50:31 +0000

Some of you have requested some information on sources for agriculture in the U.S. Here are some links that you can go to prior to coming to the Congress. Steve Werblow, our co-chairman of the program committee furnished this information:

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service publishes great papers on markets and economics. There’s an index online at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Browse/. There are papers and articles on many topics, from individual crops to labor to trade issues, other countries, etc.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistical Service (http://www.nass.usda.gov/#) is a great place to find data on anything agriculture.

This is the USDA’s 2002 book on topics that are mainly organized around federal programs and priorities such as cultural and economic diversity, Factbook of Agriculture http://www.usda.gov/factbook/

The Texas Department of Agriculture has a fact sheet online at http://www.agr.state.tx.us/gt/channel/render/items/0,1218,1670_1693_0_1692,00.html

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As we find more information we will post it here. Want to know more? Let us know how we can help you. Post a comment here!

Final Schedule Available For Download

Chuck — Fri, 29 May 2009 16:53:57 +0000

The latest and final version of the program for this year’s Congress is now ready for you to download and view.

Just click on this link: IFAJ Congress/Ag Media Summit Final Program (5.2MB pdf)

We hope you’ve got your registration in and are looking forward to a great event in Texas!

IFAJ Now On Twitter

Chuck — Tue, 05 May 2009 16:32:14 +0000

Hello IFAJ members. How many of you are tweeting? If you are then follow IFAJ. You can find us online at @IFAJ.

We set up the account to write about this year’s Congress and help get the word out. We’ll try to post more frequently on Twitter than here on the blog. So, feel free to follow.

For you Twitter experts, please use the #IFAJ hashtag in your posts on Twitter. That will make it easy for all of us to follow along with all that’s being said about IFAJ in the Twitterverse.

We’re Looking for Writers & Buddies

Chuck — Tue, 05 May 2009 15:37:01 +0000

There are still ways to get involved and help the IFAJ/AMS committee in making this the best IFAJ Congress/Ag Media Summit it can possibly be – both for those who attend, and those unable to attend.

If you’re planning to attend one of the interesting news maker sessions or one of the sure-to-be-productive professional development workshops (there are nearly 35 in all this year!), why not let other members in on the secrets you learn? We are looking for volunteers who will be attending these sessions to write up summaries of key points and highlights for future newsletters. Since so many members are unable to attend the conference, but will benefit greatly from these contributions. Please contact Kenna Rathai, kenna.rathai@kbrcommunications.com, if you’re willing to help.

We are also still looking for “buddy” volunteers to help our IFAJ global attendees feel comfortable before and during their visit. Contact Becky Terry if you are interested, becky@showboatco.com.

2009 IFAJ Congress Program as Vast as the Texas Plains

Chuck — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 01:20:05 +0000

The 2009 IFAJ Congress in Fort Worth, Texas, will expand the scope of agricultural journalism conferences to the distant horizon – and beyond.

In addition to extensive tours of area agriculture, the traditional IFAJ delegate meeting, briefings from officials of the Texas Department of Agriculture (representing an $80 billion farm economy), hot Texas beef and cold Texas beer, IFAJ members will join in the professional development seminars and fun of the Agricultural Media Summit.

The Ag Media Summit draws hundreds of journalists, publishers, designers, public relations professionals and students from the United States and Canada for a rich program of professional development sessions and briefings from the day’s top newsmakers.

When the Summit ends on 5 August, post-conference tours will venture out across Texas, from the cattle and cotton of the dry Panhandle to the vast vegetable farms along the Mexican border.

You’ll go home with notebooks full of stories and gigabytes of photos. You’ll also return to work with new writing, photography and management skills, as well as countless new friends and contacts.

Here are a few of the sessions that will make the Ag Media Summit worth staying for:

The Great Debate – Charlie Stenholm served 26 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, rising to the position of ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee. Barry Flinchbaugh retired after decades as a renowned professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University and farm magazine columnist. They’re friends, they’re colleagues, and they’re outspoken – and they love to disagree on ag policy and trade. Join us for a straight-shooting exchange of ideas that will be as entertaining as it is insightful.

Prize-winning journalist Macarena Hernandez will share insights on pushing journalism beyond just delivering the news, but folding in the lyrical prose that has made her a renowned reporter and columnist.

Evan Smith, editor in chief of Texas Monthly, will explain how he steered his magazine to national renown – and how you can, too.

National Geographic photographer Jim Richardson shares the skills and wisdom he’s built during his wide-ranging photography career.

Writing consultant Loring Leifer will help us find better story ideas and deliver them more engagingly.

Photography workshops range from a beginner’s session on handling digital cameras to a day-long, hands-on workshop by Michael Schwartz of the Blue Pixel Group. (Attendance in the full-day photo workshop will be limited, so if you want to participate, sign up now!)

Are you venturing into video and online content? Attend our new-media workshops for tips and wisdom on the electronic frontier.

So saddle up and Catch the Cowboy Spirit. Mark 31 July to 4 August (and beyond, for the post-conference Texas farm tours) on your calendar for the most useful, most stimulating professional development opportunity of the year.

New details for post-Congress Tours

Diane — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 00:37:42 +0000

We have updated details on the tours that will start after the Congress is over. There are three different ones to choose from with the West Texas and South Texas tours starting on Wednesday morning (August 5th) and returning to Fort Worth on Saturday August 8th). There is also a tour that is one day shorter for those of you who need to get back home earlier. That tour will go to the beautiful Central and East Texas area including Texas A&M University to see the latest ag research projects.

•Two of the post-Congress tours (West Texas and South Texas) will start on Wednesday, August 5 and go through Saturday, August 8. Your post-Congress tour fee includes hotel accommodations through Saturday as well as airfare and transportation to the location of the tours. Cost for either of these tours is $950 per person single occupancy or $750 per person double occupancy.

•The third tour (Central/East Texas) is one day shorter and will start on Wednesday, August 5, and conclude on Friday night, August 7. This tour includes hotel accommodations through Friday night. Cost for this tour is $700 per person single occupancy or $550 per person double occupancy. If you wish to stay through Saturday night, we can help you with arrangements.

You can download the latest pdf of the Post Congress Tours here: Post Congress Tours Document (pdf)