BC Farm Writers Association
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Happy New Year and welcome to the first of what we intend to be regular updates from the BC Farm Writers Association in 2019. We're kicking off the new year with a renewed purpose: we are hosting the Canadian Farm Writers Federation national conference later this year -- and we have quite the reputation to live up to. Let's get started!
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The venue is confirmed, we have a theme,
a logo, a river boat tour booked. You need to SAVE THE DATE!
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September 26-28 . New Westminster, BC
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Bridging the Rural-Urban Divide
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HELP WANTED! (Pay not so good.)
A core group of BCFW members has been meeting via conference calls bi-weekly (or so) for the last couple of months and we’ve come up with a pretty decent framework for this year's national conference. But it's time to start nailing down the details and that’s where we need HELP!!!
Our next call is
Friday, January 4 at 930 am
– and we’re (desperately) looking for team players! If you’d like to be part of the organizing effort (and get to know your fellow BCFW members in ways you could never imagine possible!), we implore you to get in touch with
Ronda Payne
asap to be included on the call.
As a relative newcomer to these national conferences, I’m told BC puts on
the best!
I can also say (as someone who has avoided these conferences for most of two decades) how muc
h fun th
ey are and how much I have missed by be
ing a wallflower!
If you haven’t been a part of a national conference in the past, do not let this opportunity pass you by.
If you’re a conference veteran, you know what I'm talking about!
Update your calendar now and schedule your deadlines so you can attend the 2019 Canadian Farm Writers' Federation conference on the Quay in New Westminster, September 26-28. You won't regret it!
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BC Farm Writers Association
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
FRIDAY JANUARY 25 | Abbotsford
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Please join us at our annual meeting later this month.
While much of our time at the agm will be devoted to brainstorming the national conference, we are also looking forward to a presentation by a guest speaker from
Farm Credit Canada
who will be talking about an initiative FCC launched earlier this fall to increase awareness about mental health issues in the agriculture sector. Many of us have experienced it firsthand.
Our own Myrna Stark-Leader was a contributor to
Rooted in Strength — Taking care of our Families and Ourselves
,
mailed to 165,000 rural addresses across Canada in November. Mental health and how it impacts Canadian farmers and ranchers will also be one of the featured presentations at our professional development day during national conference. We hope you will join us at the agm and the national conference for this very important discussion.
Creatures of habit
As for the rest of the meeting, we
are
creatures of habit. The agm will be hosted in the meeting room at
Ricky’s Restaurant
at the Best Western in Abbotsford (32080 Marshall Rd) once the ag show at the Tradex empties out on Friday. The buffet opens about 530 pm, followed by our guest speaker and the business portion of the meeting! Dinner for 2019 members is on
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC
. Join us, won't you?
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Don't let
our handle mislead you!
The BC Farm Writers' Association is open to any and all communicators in BC agriculture:
journalists, publishers, editors, marketing and communications specialists
with
producer groups,
agri-businesses
and (yes, even)
government
.
What do we have in common? We are all passionate about agriculture.
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It's time to pay your dues!
With BC hosting the national conference this year, the timing couldn’t be better to be a part of this unique organization. Click
here
to download the membership form. Dues are $50, payable to BCFW.
If you prefer to e-transfer your dues, send $50 to
davidschmidt@shaw.ca
(make the answer
showmethemoney
).
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Journalists have value, too
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BC Farm Writers’ illustrious treasurer and Country Life in BC’s editor emeritus
David Schmidt
has to make room on the mantle for yet another writing award. The BC Dairy Historical Society honoured David last month with its BC Dairy Industry Achievement award during the BC Dairy Association’s annual conference in downtown Vancouver.
A former minister of agriculture and BCFW life member once dubbed Dave the ‘
encyclopedia of BC agriculture
’ – and we couldn’t agree more. Dave has been writing for
Country Life in BC
since the beginning of time (1985, technically) and very shortly thereafter, became president of this organization, a position he held until just a few years ago. But he may have missed his calling.
Several guests at the
BC Dairy
gala – not the least of which was the
current
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agriculture minister – said his acceptance speech was the best of the evening.
He explained to dairy producers that he doesn’t write -- as most journalists do --
about
farmers; he writes
for
farmers
. He also noted that while he could have provided the historical society with a dozen names worthy of recognition this year, he was honoured by the society's acknowledgement that farm journalists provide an intrinsic value to the agriculture industry.
Go, Dave!
We continue to remind David (and industry) that he is only
semi
-retired
and that we all look forward to his perspective on the news and events important to BC farmers and ranchers in the new year.
Congratulations, David, on another
well-deserved honour!
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And even more accolades for BCFW members
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Congratulations are also in order -- albeit a tad late -- for BCFW members
Ronda Payne
and
Tamara Leigh
. Ronda’s cover photo in the October 2017 edition of Country Life in BC won her a gold award in the news photography category earlier this fall at the Canadian Farm Writers Federation national convention in Winnipeg.
Tamara, in collaboration with
Steffen Janzen
and
Travis Robb
, received a silver award in the Electronic Media category for their video work on behalf of the BC Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative.
So nice to see BC farm writers recognized on a national level! Congratulations!
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You know, we are ALL in the business of communicating and yet sometimes we don’t.
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THIS year, we resolve to improve our communications – by email, on our website and via our blessed Facebook page. (Be sure to like and follow us!)
We’d also like to schedule a few regional field days/networking opportunities. (Who would like to help plan one for the Okanagan?) All it takes is a team effort because we're ALL really busy!
Add us to your address book, pay your dues and dial in to that conference call this Friday!!
Please join us and be part of the team! Let’s make 2019 a year to write about!
Until next time ...
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Update your 2019 calendar
- January 4 930 am Convention Committee conference call
- January 24-26 Pacific Agriculture Show, Abbotsford
- January 25 BC Farm Writers Association AGM 530 pm, Ricky's Restaurant, 32080 Marshall Road, Abbotsford
- February 1-2 Islands Agriculture Show, Saanich
- September 26-28 CFWF National Conference, New Westminster
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You are receiving this email as a member, former member or prospective member of the
BC Farm Writers Association. We appreciate your support.
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