Writer and Broadcaster of the Year
Writer and Broadcaster of the Year
£1000 prize fund for written and broadcast news stories and features highlighting critical aspects of animal health, welfare, management and care.
Entry deadline: November
For entry form click here
2009
The new AgriLIVE Smithfield event held at Stoneleigh was chosen as the venue for presenting the Guild’s 2009 animal health and welfare management writing awards sponsored by NOAH – the National Office for Animal Health.
This popular award is for news stories or articles that explore critical aspects of animal health, welfare and management, or look at issues relevant to any aspect of farm animal care. This year’s judges stressed that all 2009 entries were of a very high quality.
The winner, for an article in Farmers Weekly on mastitis control planning, was presented to deputy livestock editor Sarah Trickett, who received a cheque for £750.
NOAH communications manager Alison Glennon
presents the winner’s award certificate to
Sarah Trickett of Farmers Weekly
Freelance Karen Wright receives the runner-up
award certificate
Taking home the runner-up cheque for £250 was freelance Karen Wright, for her article on cattle lameness control published in Cow Management.
Both Guild members were judged to have written practical and informative articles, focused on the award’s brief.
The awards were presented by fellow Guild member Alison Glennon, NOAH communications manager.
Read Sarah’s winning article here.
Read Karen’s runner-up article here.
2008
An article on Bluetongue, the midge-borne viral disease that threatens the British livestock industry, won Farmers Guardian senior reporter Jack Davies the NOAH Writer/Broadcaster of the Year title.
Jack entered his article Bluetongue – the myths, rumours and the real truth for the NOAH-sponsored Guild award after it was published in a Farmers Guardian animal health supplement.
Speaking at NOAH’s annual dinner on behalf of the judging panel, chief executive Phil Sketchley said the article was well written and topical.
“It gave a balanced approach to the debate with a cross section of opinions from farmers, vets and academics and had clear recommended actions for farmers,” he added.
Jack collected a cheque for £750 as first-prize winner, while the runner-up prize of £250 went to Rachael Porter for her article Draw up a stock ‘shopping list’?, which appeared in Cow Management magazine.
Rachel Porter
“These awards reflect the hard work and dedication to their subjects that these winning journalists have displayed,” says Phil Sketchley. “They produced lively and informative articles that stimulate debate and contribute to the recognition that healthy animals mean healthy food.”
Read Jack Davies’ wining article here.
Read Rachael Porter’s article here.
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2007
A graphic television broadcast debating the issue of procedures such as calf de-horning, tail docking and cutting piglets’ teeth won Nancy Nicolson the Guild’s NOAH Writer/Broadcaster of the Year 2007 award, which celebrates news stories and articles that explore critical aspects of animal health, welfare and management, or looks at issues relevant to any aspect of farm animal care.
Nancy Nicolson. Image courtesy of BBC Scotland.
The item broadcast by BBC Scotland in its Landward rural affairs programme presented expert opinion on animal mutilations from the Royal Dick Veterinary College, Edinburgh, as well as the opinions of a representative of lobby organisation, Advocates for Animals, and farmers who demonstrated the procedures.
“I think we produced a balanced programme in which opposing views were expressed very clearly and we also presented opinion from an expert on pain,” says Nancy. “We presented the facts and left viewers to make up their own minds about the issue.”
Jonathan Long, Farmers Weekly livestock editor, took the runner-up prize for an article exploring the future of a national scheme to breed scrapie-resistant sheep.
Jonathan Long.
“The scheme was set-up with DEFRA funding when it was believed that scrapie could be masking the presence of BSE in sheep,” Jonathan explains. “But when it was realised that is not the case, the rationale for a fully-Government funded scheme was removed.”
The article highlights the implications for the sheep industry of a review of the scheme, as well as questioning other legislation introduced as public health protection measures.
The award’s keen sponsor, National Office of Animal Health, represents UK companies that research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animal health products.
“These awards reflect the hard work and dedication to their subjects that these winning journalists have displayed,” says Philip Sketchley, chief executive of NOAH. “They have produced lively and informative material that stimulate debate and contribute to the recognition that healthy animals mean healthy food.”
Read Jonathan Long’s winning article here and his Editorial piece here.
2006 WINNERS
Judges of the 2006 award said they were looking for articles covering cost/benefits and practical advice that could help justify farmers embarking on a programme of advanced animal health.
The winning article by Farmers Guardian features editor Joanne Pugh explained to farmers how they could benefit from a two-stage lambing process. The article, which the judges described as “constructive with practical examples to follow”, focussed on a Shropshire sheep farmer who has instigated a number of changes to make the lambing process easier and more successful.
Click here to view Joanne's winning article (Click for P2)
The runner-up article was written by Jessica Buss, then livestock editor of Farmers Weekly. It appeared in a Dairy Update supplement and tackled issues of cattle lameness. The article Scoring can put lameness on the run was a call for action on a significant problem and offered a number of solutions for farmers to consider.
Joanne Pugh of Farmers Guardian receives her award from NOAH chief executive Phil Sketchley (left) and Roger Abbott, Guild chairman 2006
2005
Nancy Nicolson won this year’s NOAH award with a television broadcast about dairy cow welfare, while Tia Rund was runner-up with an article in Farmers Guardian on the Sheep Veterinary Society’s Flock Health Programme.
Click here to see Nancy's winning entry
Click here to see Tia's winning entry Click for p2
Nancy Nicolson won the NOAH award with a television broadcast on dairy cow welfare.
Tia Rund, Farmers Guardian eastern region correspondent, was runner-up for the NOAH award with an article on sheep health.
2004
Guild of Agricultural Journalists NOAH award
Prize winning citations
1st prize: Chris Walkland – Article in Dairy Farmer, November 2003
“How much can you save on your herd health bill”
In the opinion of the judges Chris Walkland’s article best met the criteria of the NOAH award in highlighting critical aspects of animal health, welfare and management as well as examining topical and relevant issues relating to farm animal care.
The article examined the benefits of developing a herd health plan and how preventative action can avoid expensive treatment at a later date.
Click here to see Chris's winning article Click for p2 Click for p3
Runner-up: Claire Powell – Article in Farmers Weekly, March 2004
“Orkneys attack on BVD lifts profits”
Claire’s article again met the criteria of the award particularly focussing on how healthy cattle make enterprises more viable.
The article looked at a BVD eradication programme in the Orkneys showing how far profits rose and the use of medicines was reduced.
Highly commended: Andrew Arbuckle – The Dundee Courier and Advertiser, November 2003
“Breeders warned of sheep disease threat”
Andrew’s article in the Saturday edition of The Dundee Courier and Advertiser drew to the attention not only of the farming readership but also a wider, general readership an important issue facing sheep farmers.
The piece was well written, well argued and brought some of the issues facing farming into the public domain.
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