BGAJ Agricultural Journalism Awards – Environment & Rural Affairs Category

A word from our award sponsor: ABP

The community of agricultural journalists and communicators is an often-hidden part of our sector and their role in communicating what’s important to farmers and growers is crucial.

Our team at ABP has immense respect for the work that they all do and it’s a great privilege to sponsor the awards and to recognise the best of broadcast and print journalism.

Phil Hambling, Director of Agriculture, ABP

Award Details

Open date

28 July 2026

Deadline date

21 August 2026

Notification date

8 October 2026

Description

The BGAJ Agricultural Journalism Awards recognise the best in British agricultural journalism – both written and broadcast. The judging panel for these awards comprises leading industry figures and previous winners, with winners announced at the Guild’s most prestigious event, the annual Harvest Lunch each autumn.

There are three categories: Arable, Livestock & Grassland, and Environment & Rural Affairs.

This page is the entry form for the Environment & Rural Affairs category. Click to enter the Arable category, and the Livestock & Grassland category.

This year the Awards are generously sponsored by ABP UK.

Entry conditions:

Entries must be from a full member of British Guild of Agricultural Journalists
Entries should have been published or broadcast in Great Britain between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2026
Entries should carry the byline of the entrant*
Last year’s category winner is not eligible to enter the category won (but can enter another category)
Entries are limited to one entry per Guild member per category
Winners & Runners agree to take part in BGAJ videos & other promotional activity as required

* Exceptions may be made where entrant can demonstrate the article / broadcast has been independently commissioned by the publisher and is not paid for by a commercial client for PR purposes

Prizes

The winner will take the award and £500 first prize.
A runner up will receive £150.
Awards will be presented at the Guild Harvest Lunch on 8 October 2026
Winners and runners up will be invited to a subsequent ABP Awards lunch

Judging criteria

Entries will be judged using the following criteria:

Originality, relevance & public interest: Is the topic fresh, timely or under-reported? Does it matter to farmers, the wider agricultural sector, rural communities, food supply, policy or regulation?
Reporting, research & evidence: Is the article / content based on strong original reporting, independent research, data, interviews or investigation? Does it go beyond press-release journalism or routine technical advice?
Accuracy, context and balance: Are the facts technically sound? Are claims properly supported? Does the article / content give enough agricultural, commercial or policy context for the reader to understand the issue fairly?
Writing quality, structure and readability: Is it well written / produced, engaging and clearly structured? Does it have a strong opening, logical flow, good use of quotes and a clear conclusion? Is it accessible without over-simplifying?
Value to the intended audience: Does the piece serve its intended audience well? This could mean practical advice for farmers, clearer understanding of a complex issue, scrutiny of decision-makers, or evidence that helps shape policy or industry debate.
Impact, insight and significance: Does the article add something meaningful? Does it reveal, explain, challenge, influence or advance discussion on an important agricultural issue? Has it potential to lead to action, awareness or change?

Judges

Danusia Osiowy, Freelance journalist (2025 winner)

Phil Hambling, Director of Agriculture, ABP

Phil Jarvis, Head of Operations, Oakbank Game & Conservation

John Pawsey, Suffolk arable and sheep organic farmer

Entry Form

Are you entering this award on behalf of yourself or nominating a third party?(Required)

Name of nominator(Required)

Email address of nominator(Required)

Contact number of nominator(Required)

Entrant name(Required)

Entrant email address(Required)

Entrant contact number(Required)

Agency / Business name(Required)

Job title, company and location(Required)

Client(Required)

Publication (Where was it published?)(Required)

Date of publication(Required)

Category(Required)

Why are you entering this content and what impact did it have?(Required)

Why are you nominating this person?(Required)

Please describe why you or the person you are nominating would be deserved winner of the Caroline Drummond Award. Please outline the impacts in celebrating and communicating farming excellence that have been made(Required)

Why are you nominating this journalist / paper?(Required)

Name of podcast(Required)

What is the purpose of the podcast?(Required)

Give a brief description of the purpose of this episode(Required)

Enter the start timecode (HH:MM:SS) for a 5 minute clip of the episode you are nominating(Required)

Just enter 6 numbers. Colons added automatically.

Give a brief description of how and why the photo was taken(Required)

Give a brief description of the strategic PR aim for the entry, including end target audience and target media(Required)

What was the rationale for the creation of this material?(Required)

Who was the intended audience?(Required)

What was the desired purpose for or outcome from the communication?(Required)

How did you approach its creation to maintain high technical and creative quality?(Required)