NAAJ Spot News Winners - 2024
Category description: Entries in this category cover breaking news – news that is time-sensitive and written under tight deadline. A statement of 100 words or less describing the conditions under which the story was written and/or the time significance of the story MUST accompany entries in the Spot News category. 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: 11
Judge: Chris McKerracher is the pest management guidelines coordinator at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, which means he edits a lot of agricultural writing. (He works with scientists to translate research into approachable and accurate publications that growers and pest management professionals rely on, and oversees the production of the guidelines, including writing drafts and editing.) He spent more than 10 years working as a professional landscaper in Vancouver. He has a diploma of journalism arts from the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. and he grew up on a grain and pig farm in Canada.
FIRST PLACE — Rachel Wagoner, Farm and Dairy
Community steps in to help farmers near East Palestine train derailment— 2/7/2023
Judge’s comments: The reporter was present during an emergency and did a great job reporting on it. The article covers the wide-ranging impact of a train derailment, through the story about a farm struggling to evacuate its livestock, the response from the community, and statements from officials. The writing flowed and was well-organized. I appreciated both the context and the diverse sources that the reporter used.
SECOND PLACE — Dominik Dausch, Argus Leader
The head of South Dakota’s largest farm group spearheads a new anti-pipeline effort — alone — 10/13/2023
Judge’s comments: The news article is well structured and well researched. The reporter gave the reader context about why the subject mattered and its impact. I especially appreciated the analysis of the information that was gathered by poll and the information that was provided about the greater context in which this was taking place.
THIRD PLACE — Jason Jenkins, DTN/Progressive Farmer
Georgia Farmer Exceeds 200 BPA Soybeans — 8/24/2023
Judge’s comments: This article did an excellent job of taking a spot news subject and, through detailed reporting, provided valuable information for the reader. It contains a lot of detailed information for soybean growers that could be useful for them in their own fields. I appreciated the interviews and the structure of the article that the reporter wrote and the context that they provided around the subject.
HONORABLE MENTION
— Chris Clayton, DTN/Progressive Farmer
Missing Cattle Case Leads to Tragedy — 5/10/2023
Judge’s comment: In this article the reporter does an excellent job of providing comprehensive analysis of a complex financial story, showcasing their thorough research and attention to detail. It effectively conveys the events, historical context, and scope of the issue, while treating the human tragedy associated with it with sensitivity.