Alltech honors international agricultural journalists during annual ONE Conference

During the 38^th annual Alltech ONE Conference (ONE) in Lexington, Kentucky, Alltech was pleased to host 65 journalists from approximately 20 countries. Another 213 were in attendance virtually, representing nearly 35 countries. In a presentation on Monday, several awards were presented to honor a few of those international agricultural journalists for their excellence and leadership in sharing the stories of agriculture.

“Compelling, fact-based communication has never been more important for society, and that holds especially true for agriculture,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “No other business sector is as integral to planetary health. The stories of agriculture production, industry innovations and sustainability efforts must not only be told, but told well, which underscores the importance of the work of agricultural media.”

In partnership with the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ), Alltech is pleased to announce Lindi Botha of South Africa as the recipient of the 2022 IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism. This recognition honors Alltech’s late founder, Dr. Pearse Lyons, who was a passionate storyteller with a great respect for agricultural journalists.

Botha is an agricultural journalist and communications specialist and serves as the deputy chairperson of Agricultural Writers South Africa. She has an unrelenting passion for agriculture and for writing stories that serve to enhance the sector and arm farmers with the knowledge they need to succeed in these times of political, climatic and economic uncertainty. The fast pace at which the agricultural landscape is changing necessitates an increased awareness to ensure that journalists are up to date with the latest trends and technology, and Botha prides herself on effectively and timeously communicating these advancements to farmers. A core focus of her work is communicating success stories within agriculture and ensuring that the sector is seen as a positive contributor to social change and economic upliftment.

Alltech is also proud to partner with the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Agricultural Communicators (Red CALC). The ninth annual Innovation and Quality Awards in Agricultural Journalism were presented to Sofia Neumann of Chile and Nicolás Gómez Bernal of Ecuador.

Neumann’s winning article, entitled “5 Chilean innovations that will impact the agricultural industry,” was published in Chile’s Financial Journal and addressed the impact of the adoption of research and development in the fruit sector of Chile.  Neumann highlights how the country has positioned itself as the main fruit exporter in the Southern Hemisphere with advances in areas such as breeding technologies, the automation of labor and fruit processing. Today’s biggest challenge is the transfer of knowledge to medium and smallholder farmers.

Gómez Bernal’s award-winning report, “RAZA 4 joins Latin American countries in defense of their plantations,” published in the newspaper El Productor de Ecuador, focuses on the banana industry as the first export area of many Latin American countries. However, the new Fusarium fungus, known as Tropical Race 4, could directly affect this sector. As such, different regional agencies and governments have begun taking proactive steps to help prevent the spread of this plague.

The IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism and the Red CALC Innovation and Quality Award in Agricultural Journalism align with Alltech's vision of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty^TM, in which a world of abundance is made possible through the adoption of new technologies, better farm management practices and human ingenuity within agriculture. Alltech is proud to partner with these organizations and to support the mentorship and education of these communicators, who connect agriculture to a global audience and share the stories of agriculture through balanced, independent, evidence-based information.

“IFAJ and Red CALC share our commitment to supporting journalists who give a voice to the farmers and producers, the innovators and change-makers, and the scientists and scholars all working toward a Planet of Plenty,” said Lyons. “On behalf of Alltech, I congratulate Lindi Botha, Sofia Neumann and Nicolás Gómez Bernal as the well-deserving recipients of these awards.”

For more information about the IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism or the Red CALC awards, contact press@alltech.com.

-Ends-

Contact: press@alltech.com

Jenn Norrie

Communications Manager, North America and Europe

jnorrie@alltech.com; (403) 863-8547

Video download: https://bcove.video/3kM8Sct

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Image caption: Lindi Botha of South Africa is the recipient of the 2022 IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism.

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Image caption: Steve Werblow (left), vice-president of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists, accepted the 2022 IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism on behalf of Lindi Botha of South Africa from Dr. Mark Lyons (right), president and CEO of Alltech at the 2022 Alltech ONE Conference.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/2W2yDd2yI4jf6

Image caption: Sofia Neumann of Chile was recognized by Alltech and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Agricultural Communicators (Red CALC) with an Innovation and Quality Award in Agricultural Journalism.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/H3EH84MH8PQs2Z

Image caption: Nicolás Gómez Bernal of Ecuador was recognized by Alltech and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Agricultural Communicators (Red CALC) with an Innovation and Quality Award in Agricultural Journalism.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/yDEycYdyi9zoN

Image caption: Dr. Mark Lyons (left), president and CEO of Alltech, presented the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Agricultural Communicators (Red CALC) Innovation and Quality Awards in Agricultural Journalism to Sofia Neumann (right) of Chile and Marlene Bernal Munoz (middle), accepting on behalf of Nicolás Gómez Bernal of Ecuador, at the 2022 Alltech ONE Conference.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/vwvZcvXIhnod

Image Caption: Alltech is proud to partner with the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) to recognize excellence and leadership by young journalists with the IFAJ–Alltech International Award for Leadership in Agricultural Journalism.

Image download: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/VzGVtfVfnjMD

Image Caption: Alltech is pleased to partner with the Network of Agricultural Communicators of Latin America and the Caribbean (Red CALC) to recognize the winners of the Innovation and Quality Award in Agricultural Journalism.

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech delivers smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture. Our products improve the health and performance of plants and animals, resulting in better nutrition for consumers and a decreased environmental impact.

We are a global leader in the animal health industry, producing specialty ingredients, premix supplements, feed and complete feed. Strengthened by more than 40 years of scientific research, we carry forward a legacy of innovation and a unique culture that views challenges through an entrepreneurial lens.

Our more than 5,000 talented team members worldwide share our vision for a Planet of Plenty™. We believe agriculture has the greatest potential to shape the future of our planet, but it will take all of us working together, led by science, technology and a shared will to make a difference.

Alltech is a private, family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to our customers’ needs and maintain focus on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For more information, visit alltech.com, or join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.