Categories

Categories

James Flanagan Award

1.  Most Improved Publication 
Submit a total of four issues: two different issues dated between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2022; one issue each from period January 1, 2021, to December 31, 2021; and January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. 2020 and 2021 issues must be from same month as one of the 2022 issues. (For example, March 2022, 2021, and 2020 plus August 2022)

General Excellence

Categories 2-4 require two different issues from 2022 to be submitted/uploaded. Entry information for Categories 2 and 3 must be submitted online and a hard copy submitted via mail to the LPC office.

  1. Publication
  2. Newspaper
  3. Newsletter (either print or electronic)
  4. Website
  5. Story Package 
    Entries should showcase one story told across multiple platforms (can include print, social, video, and/or digital editorial.) Please provide links to view/download files if attaching a file is not applicable or too large.             
  6. PR Campaign
    Overall public relations program supporting product, service or corporate image directed at farmers, ranchers, growers, stakeholders or employees and all others serving agribusiness.

General Divisions

Entry information for Categories 8-10 must be submitted online and a hard copy mailed to the LPC office.

Special Issue Division
8. Special Issue
9. Event/Show Program
10. National Show Coverage

Publication Visuals Division
11. Single Article Layout and Design
12. Cover: Any color combination or black and white
13. Newspaper Cover: Any color combination or black and white
14. Published Editorial Photography: Series or photo story (must include entire story)
15. Single Photo or Graphic Illustrating an Article: Not part of a series or picture story; black and white or 4-color (must include entire story)

WRITING
Feature Articles
16. Production/Management article
Emphasis in these feature articles, news stories, and operation profiles is on how ranchers and farmers produce the product or manage specific production aspects of their enterprise. Examples would include: Benchmarking Performance for Progress; The Trade-offs Between Production and Carcass Traits; How XYZ Hog Farm is Incorporating Biosecurity Practices, etc.

17. Marketing Article
Emphasis in these feature articles, news stories, profiles is upon how people market livestock products, or focus upon aspects of the markets themselves. Examples would include: Putting Grid Marketing to Work For You; New Ways to Manage Financial Risk; Facebook Cracks Down on Sale of Horses, etc.

18. Technical Article
Emphasis in these feature articles, news stories and technology profiles focus upon the science and technology utilized in production and marketing, rather than production and marketing itself, often relying upon the need to explain complex principles to readers in layman’s terms. Examples would include: What EPDs Are and Do; DNA Today; Equine Conception Rates with Cooled versus Frozen Semen, etc.

19. Feature/Human Interest Story
These articles focus upon the people and human side of people involved in the livestock business, rather than upon the business side of livestock production, and they don’t rely upon offering information, per se. For instance, an article “20 Things Every Producer Should Know About Depression” would not be appropriate; whereas an article “Overcoming Depression Was Step One for Joe Smith” would be a great human interest approach to a serious issue.

20. Instructional Story
Articles that provide how-to information in a step-by-step format. Entries will be judged on clarity, content and usefulness to the reader.

21. Producer/Farm/Ranch Profile
Articles in this category focus on informing the reader about a specific producer, farm or ranch through the words, actions, observations, etc. of the subject being profiled and/or others who offer their views of the subject. Editorial/News Articles

22. News Story
These articles chronicle and explains to readers unfolding livestock industry events and changes. Examples would include: What New EQIP Regs Mean to You; African Swine Fever’s Level of Risk to the US Swine Industry; Producers Demand COOL Revisions, etc. Typically, these articles focus on something that has happened, why it’s important for readers to know—what it means to them immediately—rather than specific long-term options readers may want to consider in response to the event. Timelines will be considered by judges.

23. Editorial
Like commentary/essay, an editorial expresses the opinions of the author, but also calls the reader to specific action.

24. Regular Column
A column that appears in at least three consecutive issues of the same publication, under the same column name and by the same author (three columns must be submitted as the entry).

25. In-depth Reporting: (single article)
26. In-depth Reporting: (multiple article series)

27. Commentary or Essay Article (not an editorial)
A column or article that expresses the opinions of the author. A regular column could also be entered in this category.

Miscellaneous Writing
28. Miscellaneous
Includes humor and entries that don’t qualify for above categories. Either non-fiction or fictional accounts of life, events, news, etc. of interest to readers of livestock publications.

DESIGN
29. 4-color, Full-page Ad
30. 1-color Full-page Ad (can include spot color)
31. 4-color, Less-than-full-page Ad
32. 1-color, Less-than-full page Ad (can include spot color)
33. Advertising Campaign (3 or more insertions)
34. Two-Page Ad
35. Logo Design
36. Brochures, Flyers and Direct-mail Pieces
37. Livestock Catalog: Any color
38. Livestock Affiliated Catalog: Any color
39. Annual Report
40. Miscellaneous Design (Entries that don’t qualify for above categories.)

DIGITAL
Judges will begin visiting web sites and judging entries after May 3, 2023. For website entries, please submit the specific link and if applicable, documentation of changes from previous site.
41. Publication Website
42. Association Website
43. Breeder Website
44. Livestock-affiliated Website
45. Campaign or Landing Page
46. Special Event Website

47. Digital Marketing Campaign
Include campaign goals, audience, and analytics that support your campaign goals. Provide a minimum of three supporting pieces of campaign content. Please submit content as a PDF or other digital assets (i.e., MP3 files, url) of all relevant materials. Example materials may include banner ads, social media, videos, etc.

48. E-Newsletter
Must be at least quarterly. Please submit the specific link and a screenshot of e-newsletter entries.

49. Digital Content Series
Include a minimum of three editorial pieces for the series, including by not limited to television or webcasts, social media, and accompanying editorial. Please submit content as a PDF or other digital assets (i.e., MP3 files, url) of all relevant materials.

50. Best Overall Blog
Scoring will be based on editorial content and site design.

51. Podcast
Include podcast goals, audience, and any analytics. Include an MP3 file of the podcast submission. Only one podcast episode will be scored. 

52. Webinar/Live Streaming Event
Enter media files of editorial content distributed using streaming media technology or provided for viewing/ downloading on a website. List URL(s) in the URL/Link fields on the entry page; type any log‐in information a judge would need to view the content into the objectives section of the entry forms.

DIGITAL COMPONENTS – VIDEO
All videos will need to be submitted with a link to YouTube or Vimeo.

53. Marketing Video – Under 3 Minutes

54. Marketing Video – Over 3 Minutes

55. Feature Video – Under 3 Minutes

56. Feature Video – Over 3 Minutes

57. Illustrated or Animated Video – Under 3 Minutes

58. Illustrated or Animated Video – Over 3 Minutes

59. Documentary (Over 8 Minutes)

60. Video Series: 3 or more, no matter the length

DIGITAL COMPONENTS – PHOTOGRAPHY

61. Portrait/Personality Photographs
Photographs entered in this category should be of a person and reveal the essence of that subject’s character.

62. Feature Photographs
Photographs entered in this category are usually “found” situations with strong human interest and a fresh view of the commonplace.

63. Nuts and Bolts Photographs
Photographs entered in this category should enhance the editorial message of the technical copy. Photos should be of a practical or illustrative nature but will also be judged on creativity. Entries in this category may be a single photo or multiple photos from the same story. Upload such multiple photos that include livestock or livestock affiliated.

64. Picture Story, Photo Sequence or Photo Essay Photographs
Photographs in this category should work together to create a cohesive story or point of view. Submit one digital file for each image. Include one tear sheet layout labeled with category and name, followed by a one-or two-word description followed by “tearsheet.” If additional photos were not published because of space limitations, you may include them in the entry. Those photos that were added, but not published cannot be entered into any other category.

65. Unpublished Images
Images as part of a larger story or stock image purposes.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
66. PR Campaigns — Brand Management
PR campaigns designed to enhance, promote or improve the reputation of a product or brand. This may be proactive or in response to an issue, crisis or event.

67. PR Campaigns – For Agricultural Audiences
Programs designed to introduce or promote agricultural input products, including equipment, and services primarily to farm audiences or those who serve them.

68. PR Campaigns – Marketing Communications for Non-Ag Audiences
Programs designed to introduce or promote agricultural products – including food, fiber and byproducts – to non-agricultural audiences, including consumers.

69. PR Campaigns – Special Events and Observances
Events or programs for commemorations, observances, openings, celebrations, recognition, trade shows, field days or other special events.  The event may stand alone, or be part of a larger series of events or campaign.

70. PR Campaigns – Video
Video (Video files downloadable or accessible via the Internet designed to achieve or enhance a public relations objective. Entry should include objectives, rationale for the strategy and any means of quantifiable measurement to support stated objectives.)

MEDIA RELATIONS
Media relations material can include news releases, background information, media kits, media advisories, pitch letters, requests for coverage, etc., please include a summary that includes measurable objectives and results, such as evidence of the resulting media coverage.

71. Agricultural Audiences

72. Non-Agricultural (consumer) Audiences

Skill Excellence Division

Design and photography portfolios should contain five (5) entries published between January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. Writing portfolios should contain three (3) entries published between January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022. 

Entries will be scored by a panel of judges and entrants will receive a critique from the judges (no in-person critique or judging.) Award winners will be announced at Ag Media Summit during the closing awards banquet.

Excellence in Writing
73. Writing
Written pieces should be submitted on Submittable as published. Three total portfolio pieces required.

Excellence in Design
74. Design
Print, digital and/or website design may all be considered. Print design should be submitted online as a PDF to Submittable when entering. Digital and/or website design should be submitted on Submittable (e.g. link to website.) Five total portfolio pieces required.

Excellence in Photography
75. Photography
Digital images less than 5 MB should be submitted at time of entry with following filename format: LASTNAME_CATEGORY53_2022. Five total portfolio pieces required.

 Excellence in Videography
76. Videography
Videos will need to be submitted with a link to YouTube or Vimeo. Five total portfolio pieces required.