Thanks to Denny McClintic I have a photo of the group that went on the South Texas tour. He also sent a few more which have been added to the IFAJ Congress/Ag Media Summit Photo Album. I think I have more coming from the other tours which will be added to the album when I receive them.

Looks like this group had a good time.

Greg says the mix of U.S. and international visitors has worked out great and the event is a success. Many of our international guests commented that the “cowboy spirit” they’ve experienced is just what they hoped it would be. Greg says he’s caught that spirit too. Sounds like a lot of hats and boots are going home from this conference.

So listen to my chat with Greg to hear his thoughts on the conference. Just click on the audio player below.

Mike reported on the further development of the IFAJ website and plans for future congresses that may include the first ever congress in South America. “We’re trying to go to as many different countries as possible,” Mike said. IFAJ is adding two new countries this year – Slovenia and Kenya.

He also talked about a history of IFAJ which is being compiled. During an interview with me, Mike related how in the ’60s the United States first became involved with the group, which originally started in Europe over 50 years ago. “It was called the International Union of Agricultural Journalists and when the Americans were approached and they said we will join but we really have a problem with the word ‘union’ so they changed it to ‘federation’ and the Americans became a part of it.”

He also talked about hiring the first IFAJ part time executive secretary Connie Siemes from Holland and what that has done to help free up the officers to do less paperwork and more member work.

IFAJ/AMS 2009 Photo Album

Listen to an interview with Mike here:

The crowd had lots of questions for the two after their debate over ag and international trade policy, as did several reporters after the fact. It was interesting to hear the international journalists ask questions about climate change policy and animal rights activism. Our own Joanna Schroeder and Kansas Ag Network reporter Greg Akagi also interviewed them both.

IFAJ/AMS 2009 Photo Album

Listen or download to a mix of reporter interviews with Charlie Stenholm here – international questions followed by Greg and Joanna’s interview:

We’ve got an online photo album started which will be added to throughout the combined IFAJ Congress and Ag Media Summit: IFAJ/AMS 2009 Photo Album. Please check it often and feel free to download photos for your use.

Be sure to read everything and scroll down to the bottom for the buttons that will take you to the registration forms.

You can listen to me talk with Greg this morning via Skype here:

You can find the latest schedule using the right sidebar link and also a detailed agenda for our post-Congress tours. We’re hoping to have registration information available very soon.

We had a great time meeting once again with so many of our friends from around the world. Now it’s time to get ready to “Catch The Cowboy Spirit” in Ft. Worth, TX.

In coming months you’ll see many updates to this website as we add functionality and more information as it is finalized.

In this photo our group posed with Svetlana Sirec, Wine Queen of Slovenia.

To help promote our Congress, USA members put together a little gift for IFAJ members. Each participant at this year’s Congress got a bandana that contained a pais of leather coasters.

Prior to our closing dinner a bunch of us got together to tie up the bandanas. You can see pictures of us in this photo album.

Then at our closing dinner, which was held in Portoroz, Slovenia, we distributed our gifts.

People started opening them right away and many put their bandanas on. After all the presentations were over, Quasimojo took the stage and performed.

We also had a slide show presentation that Diane Johnson ran to help set the tone for “Catch The Cowboy Spirit.”