Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Colfax - Jasper County Tribune Entry Title: JCT Ag Entry Credit: Jamee Pierson, Christopher Braunschweig Judge Comment: Laughed out loud while reading the story about the “chicken person,” Bev Clark Floss – fun piece that was both educational and entertaining. Friendship Livestock Show and cow escapee stories were clear, succinct, but also warmly told – very nice. Agriculture is not only a topic for farmers, and this coverage showed broad appeal.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Prairie City - PCM Explorer Entry Title: PCM Ag Entry Credit: Jamee Pierson, Christopher Braunschweig Judge Comment: Great storytelling in the Nearmyer hog farm piece, blended nicely with nuggets of information. Also liked the description of the glow-up the Red Angus get before a show: walks, baths, hair treatments and fans to give their coats that Pantene shine. Who knew?
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Calmar - Calmar Courier Entry Title: CC 2023 Coverage of Agriculture Entry Credit: Michael Hohenbrink Judge Comment: Nice breadth of coverage, from the need for laborers, to farmland cash rents as well as farmland value increasing, to a watershed project (which I hope received or will receive a follow-up story as the WQI continues)
