SALEM, Ohio — The Farm and Dairy editorial team recently received national and international recognition for its excellence in writing, reporting and producing engaging content. Reporter Liz Partsch, Editor Rachel Wagoner and Art Director David Hartong received honors in two contests.
North American Agricultural Journalists Writing Contest
Reporter Liz Partsch received first place in the Photojournalism category for the photos that accompanied her story titled “Bee hives in Pittsburgh produce lanternfly honey” published on Nov. 16, 2023.
The judge commented on Partsch’s “masterful work with color, texture, depth and angles in the photos that accompany this story.” There were 11 entries in the Photojournalism category.
Editor Rachel Wagoner received first place out of 11 in the Spot News category for her coverage of farm evacuations after the East Palestine train derailment in February 2023.
Wagoner also earned third place out of 25 in the Ongoing Coverage or Series category for her coverage of the East Palestine train derailment’s impact on farmers and rural communities. The judge called it “local reporting at its best.”
The North American Agricultural Journalists is a professional international group of agricultural editors and writers with members in the U.S. and Canada. The contest winners were recognized during the group’s annual meeting April 15 in Washington, D.C.
National Newspaper Association Foundation’s Better Newspaper Contest
Partsch again took first place in the NNAF contest in the Best Business Feature Story category for non-daily publications with a circulation of 6,000 or more. Her story titled “Pennsylvania cideries reinvent hard cider industry” originally published Oct. 26, 2023.
The judge said Partsch’s story had “compelling writing and a fun angle from which to profile two local businesses for their sustainable approaches to their craft. This piece is not only likely to increase reader awareness but also to invigorate a customer base.”
Her story on lanternfly honey in Pittsburgh also took third place in the Best Agricultural Story for daily and non-daily publications with a circulation of 6,000 or more.
Art director David Hartong took first place in the Best Front Page Design category, for non-daily publications with a circulation over 10,000, for his Aug. 10, 2023 front page. The judge said it was a “beautiful front page with a large photo to draw the eye.” He also earned third place for an information graphic titled “Safety tips for Ohio’s fall wildfire season” that ran on Oct. 19, 2023.
Wagoner received first place in the Best Profile Feature story category for non-dailies with a circulation over 10,000 for her story, “Emily Mullen ushers family dairy farm into future by bottling milk.” The story originally ran July 6, 2023. The judge commented: “This story hit me hard. It is a fleeting way of life and hard, just as the writer described. The details — all perfectly placed. The photos — absolutely essential to the story being told … Well written. Beautifully done. Bravo.”
She also received second place in the Best Breaking News Story category for non-dailies with a circulation over 12,000 for her story on the fire that destroyed Brunton Dairy’s barn and milk bottling plant in October 2023. Wagoner earned an honorable mention in two other categories for her coverage of leaking gas wells in Trumbull County and the increased interest in youth shooting sports.
There were 1,513 entries in the Better Newspaper Editorial Contest, with 676 awards won by 92 newspapers in 32 states. Established in 1885, the National Newspaper Association is one of the largest newspaper associations in the country. The foundation is its educational arm. Winners will be recognized during an awards ceremony Sept. 27 during the NNAF’s 138th annual Convention and Trade Show in Omaha, Nebraska.
