Profile Category - 2021
Category description: Entries in this category profile a family, person or animal in agriculture and be relevant to target audience. The profile can convey their contributions on a local, regional or national level. Entries must include the use of more than one source. One story or package of stories (sidebars or secondary stories) published together on a single day is a single entry in this category. Number of entries: 16
“Family, person or animal are mentioned first in the criteria for this category, so that is what I wanted to see and get to know first in a story … family, people or animal. Top stories in this category had these as the focus. Some of the entries featured more about a farm or ranch operation with secondary, more casual mentions of the family, person or animal.”
1st Place:
Sierra McClain, Capital Press
Flying farmer: One man’s journey to reach new heights on the farm and in the clouds — 7/9/2020
Judge’s comments: The stage is set with a vision of a grassy field and the sound of an airplane about to take off on a surprise flight. From there, nothing is held back in this story that tells us “ordinary people are far from ordinary.” Bryan Harper, we’re told, is a fifth generation farmer, which might seem ordinary enough. But the story gives the real tale of a person whose journey is laced with various personal struggles and how overcoming obstacles and challenges led him to “reach new heights.”
2nd Place:
Chris Clayton,
DTN/Progressive Farmer
Judge’s comments: A little boy “carpet farming” with toy tractors sets this one up and readers instantly want to see this kid mature and find a way to fulfill his dreams, and that we do. Armed with facts, hard work and determination, Zemua Baptista establishes a poultry operation by age 18. We learn quickly that he has accomplished his dream but are pulled into the story to find out how as the writer weaves facts throughout his growing up as a first-generation American.
3rd Place:
Gil Gullickson, Successful Farming
Judge’s comments: Envision a German Shepherd eying a juicy steak the way agriculture industry officials seek that kind of perfect farmer. Common are the stories of farmers who’ve had all the success, praise, honors and titles to land on a pedestal surrounded by those who want their business. But by the third paragraph of this story, we’re told something happened and the farmer asks himself “Why am I working against Mother Nature instead of with her?” That’s when we go on the journey with Seth Watkins to learn how to have “happy cows, clean water and healthy soil.” We learn not only about how he changed his operation but about what it was for him as a person that led to this change.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
— Des Keller, DTN/Progressive Farmer
In Family We Trust: A history of supporting one another and seeking outside experts helps keep this farm business moving forward — 1/01/2020
Judge’s comments: Not only is this family operation moving into its third generation, but we meet Heath Bryant and Kasey Bamberger, male and female cousins, who use their differing talents to make it work. Plus, we learn how the larger family worked together “and used a mediator” to make sure that the other siblings/cousins would be included in the eventual inheritance of their parents. We get to know these two young managers, including what they’ve learned about themselves, as well as practical information that might help other families plan.
— Sean Pratt, The Western Producer
Wild rice business takes family for wild ride — 11/5/2020
Judge’s comments: Right away, we are told that wild rice is going to take a family on a wild ride. So the reader, who may have eaten wild rice without a thought, realizes that it is, well, wild. Not only that, but the entire Muirhead family, rather inexperienced in the way of agriculture, is going to attempt to gather this wild crop. All is well for the first two years and we might stop reading but for learning that they experience devastating crop losses in the third year, and find itchy jobs and sucky jobs and spiders as big as one’s hand. That keeps us reading to find out that the family discovers ways to stay afloat and expand. I will definitely appreciate my next bowl of wild rice all the more.
— Jonathan Knutson, Agweek
Farm, Teach, Promote: Woman with a variety of jobs prepares to promote US wheat worldwide — 12/14/2020
Judge’s comments: This story could have simply been a brief about the next head of the US Wheat Associates but instead we learn about the woman, Rhonda Larson, who will take this role. The story begins not with agriculture but with her job as a substitute teacher. We learn that she born into farming, came to substitute teaching late and landed her new role unexpectedly and how each of those experiences lend themselves to her mission in life.
— Alice Mannette, The Hutchinson [Kansas] News
One man’s mission is to save the turkey by opening a school for fowl — 11/21/2020
Judge’s comments: Good description of both a man and an animal – the turkey. It tended toward the production side on the top of the story but in reading to the end we find the crux of the profile: that as a little boy Frank Reese led turkeys to the field and then back home and how as a first grader he wrote “Me and My Turkeys.” That lent more color to the interesting story of his present operations because of how his early inspiration led him to this point.