Business and rural editor Sally Rae was named joint runner-up in the Ministry for Primary Industries Rongo Award, the top award recognising excellence in agricultural journalism, for the
Otago Daily Times-Rural Life Year of the Farmer initiative which celebrated the South Island’s food and fibre producing champions.
Central Rural Life reporter Tim Cronshaw won the Beef + Lamb New Zealand hard news award for stories about high country farmers going to great lengths to prove they were not solely to blame for lowering water quality, and farmers sending triplet-bearing ewes for slaughter in a drastic move because of drought.
Southern Rural Life reporter Shawn McAvinue received the Alliance Group red meat industry journalism award for two stories about southern families selling their sheep and beef farms to forestry companies.
