Ballance Farm Business Writing Award entries open

23 August 2012

Ballance Farm Business Writing Award entries open

Ballance is encouraging journalists to showcase their work with a new award aimed at heightening awareness of the complexities of running farm businesses.

The Ballance Agri-Nutrients Farm Business Writing Award was created this year as part of the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists Awards.

It was developed to encourage journalists to understand more about the business of running farms and to share what they learn.

Ballance General Manager Sales and Strategy, Willie Thomson, says farms across all sectors are dynamic businesses that face many challenges which impact both production and profitability.

“We consider farmers to be at the cutting edge of business - they have to be in order to succeed,” says Mr Thomson.

“We’re dealing with these farms every day and we understand the pressures and the tough business decisions that farmers face. While people generally know what happens on farms, most don’t have the chance to see or understand the complexity of a farm business beyond the gate.

“The media has a role to play in telling the stories behind our farming competitiveness and how farmers are responding to a changing market and environmental challenges.”

The Ballance Farm Business Writing Award will recognise a journalist who can demonstrate an excellent understanding of the challenges a farm business experiences and communicate effectively the way farmers respond to them.

Entries to this award need to be made up of two articles from either features or programmes in any media published 12 months prior to 31 July 2012. The winner will receive $1000, presented at the New Zealand Guild of Agricultural Journalists Awards in Wellington on 12 October.

“I strongly encourage journalists to enter this award to receive both recognition for their good work and also showcase some of the amazing stories out there in the rural community,” says Mr Thomson.

Entries close on Monday 10 September 2012. Any New Zealand-based journalist or communicator is eligible to enter the award.

The entry form is available here.

ENDS

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