NAAJ Profile Winners - 2022
Category description: Entries in this category profile a family, person or animal in agriculture relevant to the target audience. The profile can convey the individual’s 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: 18
Comments about the competition: Especially strong story nominees. It was excruciating difficult to determine the winners and their placement. So much good work here! All the writers who submitted entries proved themselves professional and talented journalists. I would note, however, that several entries did not follow the guidelines, particularly in regard to having at least two sources for a story.
Judge: Kevin Carvell — Retired reporter for Fargo (N.D.) Forum, journalism instructor, collector of North Dakota history.
FIRST PLACE — Joel Reichenberger, DTN/Progressive Farmer
Family Farm Taps Beer Success — 4/20/2021
Judge’s comments: Such talented prose, so many nice turns of a phrase. Here's part of one line: "...but it's on the brewery side of an autumn evening where it's easiest." Here's another: "Help came in a bottle of beer." Gee, I liked it a lot.
SECOND PLACE — Matthew Wilde, Progressive Farmer
Vintage Farmers: Operating older equipment brings this Iowa family closer and bolsters its farm’s success — March 2021
Judge’s comments: A piece that could make readers seriously rethink the accepted style of farming with every larger, more complicated and sophisticated equipment. A piece that successfully challenges the conventional wisdom.
THIRD PLACE — Victoria Myers, Progressive Farmer
Marty Irby: Unconventional Activist — December 2021
Judge’s comments: It strikes me that the general public, not just the world of agriculture, would find this an intriguing piece. It's not what readers find in the conventional pages of ag journalism but provides light to an obscure corner of it. The sidebar on pending legislation is helpful.
HONORABLE MENTIONS
— Sierra Dawn McClain, Capital Press
Down Shepherds Lane: Trailblazing sheep breeders improve U.S. industry through imported genetics — 05/6/2021
Judge’s comment: A strong lede and an inside and enlightening look at a quiet corner of agriculture. Plus, it illustrates the warm relationship of the couple featured.
— Laura Rance, Winnipeg Free Press
Steward of the land: Leonard Rance was an early adopter of farming conservation — 9/18/2021
Judge’s comments: A daughter's reflection on her father's life and critical role in zero-tillage movement. Filled with warmth and love.
— Bart Pfankuch, South Dakota News Watch
Robotic milking is latest high-tech tool on dairy farms in S.D. — 3/10/2021
Judge’s comments: A superb analysis and strong overview of the changes in the South Dakota dairy business. Plenty of valuable detail explained clearly and comprehensively on the technical aspects of state-of-the-art milking.