Halifax, Nova Scotia – October 7, 2024 – At the annual conference of the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation (CFWF) in Halifax on Saturday, Ontario agricultural journalists Robert Irwin of Vankleek Hill and Don Stoneman of Bancroft were presented with CFWF Lifetime Achievement Awards.
The pair have had careers, achievements and contributions to Canadian agricultural journalism that have been intertwined since they met as colleagues working at Farm & Country magazine in the late 1980s. When that publication folded in 1999, a group of its employees quickly regrouped, producing the first edition of Better Farming magazine only four months later.
Irwin and Stoneman developed a reputation for leading a team of strong, investigative journalists that covered stories across the spectrum including farm animal welfare, stray voltage and its effects on livestock, the Ontario government’s decision to end the Slots at Racetrack program, the role of women in farming, neonicotinoids, sewage spills and bypasses from urban sources and more. They also covered farmer mental health issues years before it was given a place of prominence in mainstream farm discussions. Among the magazine’s best known pieces was a series on Lyme disease that won both national and international awards.
In 2007, they broke the story that later became known as the ‘Pigeon King’ scheme with coverage containing more than 50 stories as the issue was first publicized, charges laid and through the court case. In years since, it has been used as the basis for both a play and a feature on CBC’s Farm Crime series.
Former colleague Mary Baxter said, “They worked hard to uphold the principles of good, investigative journalism and they gave their staff the chance to dig deep into really important issues.”
The nomination was submitted by Kelly Daynard, Bernard Tobin and John Muggeridge, all members of the Eastern Canada Farm Writers’ Association with letters of support submitted by Baxter and other agricultural journalists and communications professionals from across the country. The award was co-presented to the recipients by Kelly Daynard and CFWF president Allison Finnamore.
For further information:
Allison Finnamore, President, CFWF (506)-863-8797; finnamor@nbnet.nb.ca
Robert Irwin: rirwin@canadianrecreation.ca
Don Stoneman: don.stoneman55@gmail.com
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ABOUT CFWF:
The Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation (CFWF) serves the common interests of agricultural journalists, including reporters, editors and broadcasters as well as those in business and government whose primary responsibility is agricultural communications.