The search is on for the best works of journalists who through their print stories, radio segments, television features, and photographs have promoted and/or created awareness on the most current agricultural issues and best farming practices on environmental care, safety, and crop sustainability as the highly anticipated Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards opens the second half of the year for its sixth and much awaited installment!

Bright Leaf Awards affirms its commitment of providing the agricultural industry a voice.  Year after year, Bright Leaf honors the best print features, radio pieces, video stories, and photographs that chronicle and capture the agricultural landscape of the times.  It believes that by recognizing journalistic excellence in this important field, it contributes to raising awareness and support for the hands that feed and fuel our nation.  More than ever, it is important to bring to light the issues and movements that define today’s agricultural industry by encouraging reportage and discourse.  After all, true progress is anchored on knowledge.  It is through telling that seeds of support can be planted and grown.

The categories of Bright Leaf Awards include Agriculture Story of the Year, Tobacco Story of the Year, Best Television Program or Segment, Best Radio Program or Segment, Agriculture Photo of the Year, Tobacco Photo of the Year, Best Regional News Story, and a Special Oriental Leaf Awards – a fresh new category that honors Bright Leaf’s constant contributors and winners through the years!

Bright Leaf Awards is a nationwide search and is open to all practitioners of agriculture journalism from print and broadcast media.

Submission of entry is from –May 21, 2012 to August 31, 2012.  Participants may send their entries to the official Bright Leaf secretariat c/o Cozoz, Inc., 1102 P. Ocampo corner Conchu Streets, Malate, Manila, with telephone numbers (02) 522.87.82 or at (02) 525.25.25.   You may also visit their website at www.thebrightleafawards.com for more details.

ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanao Examiner / May 13, 2012) – The Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards on Sunday announced the search for best works of journalists on most agricultural issues and best farming practices in the Philippines.

David Isaac Buenaventura, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Secretariat Project Manager, invited local journalists, who through their stories on newspapers, radio segments, and television features and photographs have promoted agriculture development and sustainability in the Philippines.

Last year, the Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards received an overwhelming participation from the best of the press - writers, editors, television reporters, producers, and photographers - all of them with a keen sense of how important agriculture is, he said during a briefing in Zamboanga City.

“The new year signals a new season. The second Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards is bigger, better and brighter,” Buenaventura said.

It was the first time that Bright Leaf Agriculture Journalism Awards invited local journalists to join the prestigious contest.

He said the categories for Bright Leaf Awards include Agriculture Story of the Year, Tobacco Story of the Year, Best Television Program or Segment, Best Radio Program or Segment, Agriculture Photo of the Year, Tobacco Photo of the Year, Best Regional News story, Best National News Story, Best Regional Feature News Story, Best National Feature Story, and a special Oriental Leaf Awards that honors constant contributors and winners through the years. The award will be given to those who won for 3 consecutive years.

Buenaventura said the submission of entries begins on May 21 until August 31 this year and Bright Leaf Awards now accepts entries written in any Filipino dialects. (Mindanao Examiner)