news
Popular workshop set for re-run
The Guild's first photography workshop, organised by Rachel Queenborough for the Midlands branch, proved so successful that a re-run of the event is already being planned.15/7/2010
Ideas and initiatives from IFAJ
Guild member Joe Watson, agricultural editor of the Press & Journal, is the British representative on executive committee of the IFAJ (International Federation of Agricultural Journalists).18/6/2010
No such thing as a free lunch…..
Guild members invited to the presentation of the Guild's Perkins Power on the Farm journalism awards were treated to a splendid lunch – but some had to roll up their sleeves and work for it!18/6/2010
Martin runs for Africa
Guild member Martin Stanhope has raised £1800 for the FARM-Africa charity by running in this year's London Marathon. He completed the run in just five hours and 22 minutes.18/6/2010
New members for the Guild
The Guild continues to attract new members with its programme of activities and awards – among the latest recruits are staff journalists on regional newspapers and a marketing specialist at a seed company.8/6/2010
Liz goes freelance
Former Farmers Guardian editor and more recently NFU communications director, Guild member Liz Falkingham, has set up a new business, Chestnutmare Media, offering freelance journalism and media consultancy from her East Yorkshire home.8/6/2010
Commonwealth ag conference
Guild member Philip Bolam has been instrumental in pulling together a packed programme and top speakers for the 24th Commonwealth Agricultural Conference, organised by the Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (RASC) in Edinburgh.3/6/2010
David Edgar
Agricultural journalist and photographer C David Edgar, a Guild member for much of his career, died recently at the age of 84.29/5/2010
CPM magazine's first website
Guild member Angus McKirdy has put his specialist arable magazine CPM online with its first website.25/5/2010
Past members return to the fold
Two former Guild members have decided to rejoin to keep abreast of developments in the industry and retain links with friends and former colleagues.25/5/2010
Another win for ace lensman
Many congratulations to Guild member, freelance photographer John Eveson, for carrying off the top prize in the IFAJ's DeLaval-sponsored Star Prize for Agricultural Photography for the second time.25/5/2010
North Pole charity adventure
A dinner party showcasing Britain's best farm produce will be hosted by Guild member and Farmers Guardian senior reporter William Surman next year – at the North Pole!25/5/2010
Prize treat at the Farmers Club
Among the sought-after prizes in the Guild's Charitable Trust draw at the Harvest Lunch in October is a ‘Weekend for Two' at the Farmers Club.25/5/2010
New members join the Guild
A machinery specialist and a former student on the Guild's new entrant training course are among the latest new members.23/5/2010
Dogs demanding dosh?
According to media monitoring agency Durrants, it is not just the Chancellor of the Exchequer who raises cash by making tax demands.14/4/2010
Herman Simper
Guild member Herman Simper, a Suffolk farmer and former machinery writer and commentator, died earlier this year aged 89. In the following obituary, his daughter and fellow Guild member Carol Twinch, recalls her father's life.9/4/2010
Machinery writer OK down under….
Former Farmers Weekly machinery writers met up for the first time in years when Guild member Paul Crisford caught up with Graham Fuller at his home in Australia.9/4/2010
Limpet – new communications business
Guild member Sarah Furneaux, a PR and communications specialist, has set up her own business – Limpet Associates Ltd – to service clients in the agricultural and related industries.9/4/2010
New roles for Council members
Some members of the Guild's management Council took on new roles and responsibilities at the first meeting of the Guild year after the annual meeting held in March.9/4/2010
Don Gomery
It is with great sadness that we record the death of journalist Don Gomery, the Guild's honorary general secretary for the past 25 years.2/4/2010
Food from our own resources
The latest book from Guild member and Smallholder editor Liz Wright gives practical advice on growing fruit and vegetables – from small-scale production in the back garden or on an allotment to larger-scale attempts to be self-sufficient in as many foods as possible.24/3/2010
Farmers Club appoints new Journal editor
Freelance Charles Abel has been picked from a shortlist of five Guild members to take over as editor of the Farmers Club Journal.23/3/2010
Guild activity reports 2009
A larger than usual turnout of members for the formalities of the Guild's national annual meeting approved the financial and activity reports that can be downloaded using the links below.22/3/2010
New editor at Poultry World
After 17 years in various roles on Farmers Weekly, Guild member Philip Clarke has been appointed editor of the FW Group publication Poultry World.19/3/2010
Charitable Trust draw winners
Five Guild members who subscribe to the Guild's Charitable Trust 200 Club were lucky enough to win cash prizes in the first of two draws being held this year.19/3/2010
Alan Exley
Former Guild chairman and Senior Fellow Alan Exley, who launched what would become Livestock Farming magazine in the early 1970s, has died at his home in Australia.17/3/2010
New members show breadth of Guild coverage
Two members of the Guild specialise in communications – but in very different areas of the agricultural industry.9/3/2010
Posthumous award for Dan Buglass
Former Guild member Dan Buglass, who died in October last year, was posthumously honoured with the NFU Scotland Ambassador Award at the union's annual meeting.4/3/2010
The election campaign starts here…
Elections to the Guild's management council are approaching – but the Guild is also set to host one of the first salvos fired in the battle for the rural vote in the General election.18/2/2010
Sarah Trickett wins IFAJ Congress award
Guild member Sarah Trickett has been named as one of 10 young agricultural journalists from around the world that will be supported to attend the 2010 IFAJ Congress in Belgium.17/2/2010
Machinery specialists are new members
Modern and vintage farm tractors and machinery are the specialist subjects of two new members of the Guild.17/2/2010
New Crops and Farmers Weekly arable editor
The Farmers Weekly arable desk and specialist arable publication Crops have a new editor following Guild member Richard Allison's move from another Reed Business Publishing post.17/2/2010
New freelance career for Robert Harris
Agricultural business and arable specialist Robert Harris has rejoined the Guild shortly after leaving Farmers Weekly to set up his own freelance communications business.17/2/2010
Rachel takes on IFAJ newsletter
Guild member Rachel Queenborough has been appointed editor of the regular newsletter published by IFAJ, the international farm journalists' organisation.16/2/2010
Entries invited for new ABN Innovation Award
Guild members up to the age of 35 with an interest in food marketing can take part in a new competition with a first prize of £1,000.16/2/2010
Doreen leads PR service at RDP
Journalist and public relations specialist, Doreen Forsyth, has joined fellow Guild member Angus Chalmers at RDP Advertising & Marketing, the full service agricultural communications agency.10/2/2010
Award opportunity for food works
Members who write, broadcast or publish material on food topics are invited to enter the annual awards organised by the Guild of Food Writers.9/2/2010
Karen completes cancer charity's cycle challenge
Guild member Karen Wright, a journalist and PR consultant specialising in the livestock sector, has raised about £6,500 for Macmillan Cancer Care after taking part in the charity's Central America Cycling Challenge in December 2009.1/2/2010
Liz moving back north
Guild member Liz Falkingham is to stand down as the NFU's director of communications later this year.22/1/2010
Machinery writer changing titles
New Guild recruit Stuart Gibbard, who specialises in writing about vintage and classic tractors in books and magazines, is set to swap titles this year.19/1/2010
Small subscription increase reflects rising costs
After three years with no increase in Guild subscription rates, rising costs mean that for 2010, fees need to rise.18/1/2010
Machinery specialist joins the Guild
Farm machinery writer James Lane has joined the Guild following his recent appointment as machinery editor on Farmers Guardian.18/1/2010
New recruit at Chamberlain
Specialist agriculture and food chain communications agency, Chamberlain has appointed Guild member Peter Crowe as an account director.14/1/2010
New members report food chain topics
The Guild is delighted to welcome to its ranks two journalists who cover farming and food chain topics.12/1/2010
Charity calendar features members' work
Guild members Peter Adams, John Eveson, Wayne Hutchinson and Adrian Legge are among the contributors of images to the RABI's 2010 calendar.29/12/2009
A study of Norfolk coast place-names
Guild member Dr Sally Francis has published a new book – Clarky Bottoms and Small Hopes: An Atlas of Place-Names in the Burnhams, Norfolk – that contains more than 1,000 current and forgotten place-names from her home county.29/12/2009
New story collection for Roscoe Howells
Veteran Guild member Roscoe Howells has published another collection of the stories he wrote for his farming newspaper columns between 1957 and 1994.9/12/2009
Former PR head at Savills rejoins Guild
John Vaughan, former head of PR at Savills (L&P) Limited, has rejoined the Guild after a brief departure having launched his own marketing, media and pr consultancy.7/12/2009
New award for broadcast journalism
Guild members involved in television, radio and online broadcasting are encouraged to enter a new contest organised by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), for a cash prize of €250 (approximately £230) and a commemorative gold pin.7/12/2009
Crop care specialist joins the Guild
Among the latest crop of new Guild members is Nick Rainsley, marketing director at Agrovista UK Ltd, one of the biggest agrochemical distributors and agronomy companies supplying farmers and growers in Britain.7/12/2009
Guild member takes the chair at FACTS
Geoff Dodgson has been appointed chairman of FACTS, the organisation that sets and maintains standards for those who advise farmers and growers on the use of crop nutrients.4/12/2009
New editor for Farm Business website
Freelance Guild member Chris Lyddon has taken over as editor of the Farm Business website which complements the fortnightly business-orientated magazine in Alan and Caroline Whibley's Grove House Publishing stable.1/12/2009
It's Vickie Robinson!
Many apologies to Vickie Robinson, assistant editor and news editor on Farmers Guardian, for incorrectly recording her married name in the November eAlert.27/11/2009
Selling cows leaves time for writing!
Freelance turned full-time farmer, Guild member Judie Allen, is picking up her pen again to take on writing assignments once more.25/11/2009
Stepping down from Farmers Club Journal
After 10 years in the post, Don Gomery is to stand down as editor of The Farmers Club Journal – and the Farmers Club hopes to recruit his replacement from among Guild members.25/11/2009
Celebrating Yara awards landmark
The 50th edition of the Guild's Yara-sponsored journalism awards were celebrated in style at the Harvest Lunch in October, with many past winners attending.25/11/2009
New members have more than 70 years' experience
The Guild of Agricultural Journalists welcomes four more new members from the world of agricultural marketing and communications with many years of industry experience behind them.17/11/2009
New roles for Tom Allen-Stevens
Guild member Tom Allen-Stevens, who embarked on a freelance career in mid-September, will shortly be taking up two new part-time roles.10/11/2009
FW's 75 years – a personal account
Machinery writer and Guild member David Cousins has written an entertaining account of the changes in farming and Farmers Weekly over the past 75 years as part of the magazine's milestone celebrations.4/11/2009
John Parry
Well known and respected Guild member John Parry died on Sunday, November 1 at his home in Harrogate after a long and determined fight against cancer.3/11/2009
Robert Davies
Former Guild member Robert Davies has died aged 69 from complications resulting from a bout of ‘flu.3/11/2009
Wide-ranging freelance service
Versatile freelance Guild member Martin Rickatson has set up JMR Agriculture to offer a range of services to the farming sector, including the media, manufacturers, suppliers – and even farmers themselves.3/11/2009
GAJ training graduate has 12 books under his belt
After a career running the family farm and bulb-growing business in Lincolnshire, new Guild member Stuart Gibbard entered the publishing world in 1993 after completing the GAJ's training scheme, held in conjunction with John Deere.2/11/2009
New member is a meat-trade specialist
Jean-Pierre Garnier has worked more than 30 years in the meat and livestock farming sector. His family has been involved in the meat business since the 1920s and, following a likely path, he studied meat trade and technology at the University of Caen.2/11/2009
Dan Buglass
One of Scotland's best known agricultural journalists, Guild member Dan Buglass, has died.2/11/2009
Charitable Trust fund-raising success
Apart from being a thoroughly enjoyable occasion for all who attend, the Guild's annual Harvest Service and Lunch is one of the most important events for the Charitable Trust, set up to help members and their families in need of practical or financial support.2/11/2009
Festive card for Guild Trust fund
Guild members can make a valuable contribution to the Charitable Trust fund and send festive greetings with an exclusive image to friends, family and work colleagues by purchasing packs of this year's Guild Christmas Card.30/10/2009
John Neill Harris, OBE, MC and bar, BSc (Agric)
Guild member John Harris, former editor of Farmer & Stockbreeder has died at the age of 95.30/10/2009
Joint editors for Profi International
Guild members Mervyn Bailey and Andrew Faulkner have teamed up to each take on the role of Joint Editor of the machinery magazine Profi International.22/10/2009
New Farm Business website online
Guild member Richard Saunders of Landwriter has contributed to the development of a new website for Farm Business magazine.19/10/2009
The Yellow Peril makes its mark
A unique cheese commissioned by Whisper.pr, the agency run by Guild members Adrian Bell and Ruth Jewkes, was served to more than 1000 guests at the Farmers Weekly Awards dinner in London.19/10/2009
Carol Trewin
Former Guild member Carol Trewin, whose career in agricultural and rural affairs journalism included stints on the Western Morning News and on BBC Radio Four's Farming Today programme, has died aged 56 after a three-year fight with leukaemia.19/10/2009
Food and farming research under spotlight at Oxford Conference
Guild member Cedric Porter has been instrumental in commissioning new research to be reported at the Oxford Farming Conference in January.8/10/2009
Olivier Fachard
French independent journalist Olivier Fachard, who was well-known to machinery specialist members of the Guild, has been killed in an accident during a new tractor launch.7/10/2009
Scene & Herd will help rural businesses be seen and heard
The former communications and PR manager at NFU Scotland, Anna Davies, has launched a new consultancy North of the Border. Scene & Herd specialises in PR and marketing services for small and medium-sized rural and food-and-drink related businesses.5/10/2009
Regional farming coverage award
Excellence in the coverage of farming topics in consumer and specialist regional newspapers will be celebrated for the second year by the Guild's newly-revived Stuart Seaton Regional Newspaper Award 2009.2/10/2009
Guild's animal health award launched
The Guild's celebration of excellence in writing and broadcasting on livestock health and welfare issues continues to be backed by NOAH with the launch of the Writer/Broadcaster of the Year Award 2009.30/9/2009
Next Congress closer to home
Guild members who enjoyed this year's IFAJ Congress in Texas are already talking about booking for the 2010 edition, which will be held a lot closer to home – in Belgium.22/9/2009
Hugh Tilley
Former freelance machinery writer and Guild member Hugh Tilley died unexpectedly in August.22/9/2009
Inspirational Congress photo course
It's not all discussion meetings and farm walks on an IFAJ Congress, as Guild member Rachel Queenborough discovered when the photography skills course caught her eye in the Texas congress programme.22/9/2009
Farmers Guide celebrates 30 years
The September 2009 issue of Farmers Guide marked the 30th anniversary of the Ipswich-based title that now mails about 30,000 copies each month to readers in the South, East and Midlands of England.7/9/2009
Freelance photo career beckons
After more than two decades working as staff photographer, Guild member Jonathan Page is taking voluntary redundancy from Farmers Weekly at the end of August to pursue a freelance career.20/8/2009
Guild helps IAgrE recruitment
A recruitment note in the Guild's monthly eAlert has led to the appointment of a part-time communications officer by IAgrE (Institution of Agricultural Engineers), to raise awareness of the organisation across its target sectors.20/8/2009
Bigger prizes for Yara awards
One of the Guild's longest-running journalism award schemes reaches a remarkable milestone this year when Yara celebrates the Golden Jubilee of its Journalist Awards.13/8/2009
Arable stalwart steps down
A long-serving stalwart of the arable desk on Farmers Weekly retires from his post in early September – but will be taking on freelance assignments to stop his pen from going rusty!13/8/2009
Welcome to the Guild…
Two PR specialists and a freelance machinery writer whose career got underway after attending the Guild's new entrants training course sponsored by John Deere are among recent recruits.13/8/2009
All rowing together
The versatility of Guild members has been ably demonstrated by the PR support provided by the Whisper agency to a successful rowing adventure.11/8/2009
Rabobank to sponsor IFAJ website
Netherlands-based Rabobank has signed a one-year agreement with the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) to sponsor its newly redesigned website.30/7/2009
International communications news
An update on a documentation resource for agricultural journalists, details of a home-learning diploma course in agricultural journalism and reflections on the Twitter phenomenon are among topics covered in the latest edition of IFAJ News, the newsletter of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists.27/7/2009
FWi adds to awards haul
Farmers Weekly interactive (FWi) picked up the title of Business Website of the Year in the 2009 Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) Awards, held in London at the end of June.15/7/2009
Award-winning Oz writer at Guild party
A special guest at the Guild's Royal Show 2009 awards party had come from hot-foot from Australia via a prestigious book awards ceremony held in Paris.9/7/2009
Guild's final Royal Show party
Guild members enjoyed their final annual awards party at the last Royal Show with a buffet supper in the spacious marquee kindly made available by Guild supporter NFU Mutual.9/7/2009
Celebrating Debbie's ‘silver' landmark
Instead of a nice watch or a carriage clock to sit on the mantelpiece at home, Guild member Debbie Beaton chose a celebratory lunch as her long-service gift from Reed Business Information to celebrate 25 years working for the company.9/7/2009
More on business from Ben
A new initiative to provide fuller coverage of rural enterprises in Lancashire is high on the list of priorities for Guild member Ben Briggs in his new role as editor of Lancashire Business View.6/7/2009
Guild members part of Scots weight-loss campaign
THREE members of the guild from North of the Border are among five heavyweights of Scottish agriculture that have agreed to try and lose weight and have their progress scrutinised by The Scottish Farmer.6/7/2009
Kendalls wins Nickerson PR account
Europe's leading cereal breeder, Nickerson, has appointed East Anglia-based Kendalls Communications to handle its corporate and product communications.26/6/2009
RASE director tells Council of planned "realignment"
In a candid discussion with members of the Guild's management Council, the RASE's new business development director Dr Robert Merrall acknowledged the organisation's imperfect image and reputation and outlined the new management team's plans to realign the organisation and its activities.19/6/2009
Great gathering at Cereals Event
Despite a heavy downpour that threatened to send everyone scurrying for their cars, members and a few guests instead headed for the press tent at the end of the first day of the Cereals Event for the Guild's first function there.18/6/2009
Tesco relations with dairy farmers
At the next Midlands Guild meeting, members will hear how supermarket giant Tesco handles communications with its dairy farmer suppliers.17/6/2009
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