The association is a voluntary, non-profitmaking professional association promoting the image and standards of agricultural journalism in South Africa. It was established in Pretoria in 1977.

The association is representative of agricultural journalists serving the industry through magazines, newspapers, radio and television. Qualified membership is also extended to friends of the agricultural media. It remains, however, primarily a body run by journalists for journalists.

OBJECTIVES

• To promote and foster matters of common interest to members.
• To advance the profession of agricultural journalism through the stimulation of thought, study, research, discussion and the dissemination of information to members.
• To raise funds to further its objectives.
• To nominate and select worthy candidates for its awards.
• To support and encourage freedom of the press.
• To establish and maintain contact with journalists in other countries.
• To maintain neutrality in matters of religion and politics.
• To take appropriate action to safeguard the status of the profession.
• To maintain close contact with other bodies serving agriculture.
• To strive to promote better understanding of the role of agriculture in the community.
• To arrange annual competitions to honour competence in agricultural journalism and photography.

HOW DO WE ACHIEVE THIS?

The association meets annually to discuss matters of common concern, to honour its national award winners and to elect a national chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer. Together with the chairpersons of the respective branches these four comprise the national executive. The national executive meets at least twice a year to give effect to the decisions of the AGM, attend to finances and ratify action taken by its management committee. Newsletters act as a link between members and the association.

Branches are responsible for organising their own activities, but consult with the national executive on matters of common concern. The various branches find their own sponsors, but sponsorships are negotiated at national level to fund the annual function, finance national executive meetings and assist branches. The international representative liaises with agricultural journalists and organisations abroad, through correspondence and representation at international meetings, such as the world congress of the IFAJ (International Federation of Agricultural Journalists).

Agricultural leaders and other experts regularly address branches on relevant topics. A Farmer and an Agriculturist of the Year are nominated in each region annually, in accordance with strict criteria, and they are honoured locally. An independent panel of judges then chooses the national winners from these candidates and honour them in one of the major centres.

HOW DO WE SERVE AGRICULTURE?

The association strives to encourage its members within the framework of a free and independent press to adopt a responsible and constructive attitude towards the reporting of agricultural matters.

The association encourages healthy selfexamination of agricultural policy and practices and strives to improve the understanding between farmers and consumers.

Die vereniging is ‘n onafhanklike professionele liggaam sonder winsbejag, wat die beeld en gehalte van landboujoernalistiek in Suid-Afrika bevorder.

Dit is in 1977 in Pretoria gestig. Lede van die vereniging is verteenwoordigend van alle joernaliste wat die landboubedryf bedien deur middel van tydskrifte, koerante, die radio en televisie. Beperkte lidmaatskap word ook aan vriende van die landboumedia verleen.

Dit bly egter in die eerste plek ‘n liggaam wat deur joernaliste vir joernaliste bedryf word.

DOELSTELLINGS

• Om sake van gemeenskaplike belang vir lede te behartig.
• Om die status en gehalte van landbou-joernalistiek tot die hoogste vlak te help bevorder en te handhaaf.
• Om geld vir hierdie doel in te samel.
• Om kandidate vir die toekennings van Boer en Landboukundige van die Jaar te benoem en te kies.
• Om die vryheid van die pers te steun en uit te bou.
• Om kontak met landboujoernaliste en hul organisasies in ander lande te bewerkstellig en uit te bou.
• Onpartydigheid in sake rakende die politiek en godsdiens.
• Om noue kontak met ander instansies wat die landbou bedien, te bewerkstellig.
• Om beter begrip te bewerkstellig oor die rol van die landbou in die gemeenskap.
• Om jaarliks kompetisies te reël om erkenning te gee aan die landboujoernalistiek en -fotografie.

HOE BEREIK ONS DIT?

Die vereniging vergader jaarliks om sake van gemeenskaplike belang te bespreek, sy nasionale toekennings te maak en ‘n nasionale voorsitter, ondervoorsitter, sekretaris en penningmeester te kies.

Saam met die voorsitters van die onderskeie streektakke vorm die vier ampsdraers die nasionale uitvoerende bestuur.

Die bestuur vergader minstens twee maal per jaar om uitvoering te gee aan die besluite van die jaarvergadering, finansies te hanteer en die optrede van sy dagbestuur te bekragtig. Nuusbriewe dien as skakel tussen die lede en die vereniging.

Takke reël hul eie sake, maar raadpleeg die nasionale uitvoerende bestuur i.v.m. sake van gemeenskaplike belang. Die onderskeie takke sorg vir hul eie borge, maar borgskappe word op nasionale vlak gereël vir die jaarlikse toekennings, befondsing van die nasionale bestuur en bystand aan takke.

Die internasionale verteenwoordiger behou kontak met landboujoernaliste en verenigings oorsee, onder meer deur korrespondensie en verteenwoordiging by internasionale byeenkomste, soos die wêreldkongres van die IFAJ (International Federation of Agricultural Journalists).

Landbouleiers en ander kundiges spreek takke gereeld toe i.v.m. landbousake. ‘n Boer en Landboukundige word jaarliks in elke streek volgens streng kriteria aangewys en plaaslik deur hulle vereer. ‘n Onafhanklike paneel van beoordelaars kies dan uit die kandidate die nasionale wenner wat op ‘n dinee in een van die groot sentra vereer word.

HOE DIEN ONS DIE LANDBOU?

Die vereniging probeer om binne die raamwerk van ‘n vrye en onafhanklike pers ‘n opbouende en verantwoordelike benadering tot die landbou by sy lede te kweek. Die bevordering van die landbou deur ondernemende en ondersoekende joernalistiek en ‘n beter verstandhouding tussen die boer en die verbruiker word as breë ideale gestel.