TWO livestock industry consultants and a Mid Murray farmer are the first recipients of the two new awards offered at the annual Rural Media & Communicators SA/NT annual awards.
Biosecurity extension officers Emily Buddle and Pene Keynes were recognised on Friday night with the newly-established Best Rural Communications Award for their campaign to spread biosecurity information across the state.
Ms Buddle said it was great to see their extension work recognised as important communications.
Their campaign include videos, other important information and column within Stock Journal.
Mel McGorman, Sanderston, was presented with the Social Influencer award - thought to be the first of its kind in Australia - in recognition of the work she has done in sharing stories about agriculture.
Ms McGorman, who's Mel_McGorman Instagram account has more than 14,000 followers and whose Lady Ba Ba tik tok account has nearly 148,000 followers, has been sharing stories about the farm she operates with husband Ryan McGorman.
She said it began as a way to show off some of the innovative techniques they were employing to others in the industry before she realised her messages could also spread further.
So far she has reached 60 million people with her videos and images showing the reality of agriculture.
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Within the traditional awards, the Rural Journalist of the year award went to ABC Landline's Kerry Staight, while freelance photographer Matt Turner was photographer of the year.
Ms Staight and Mr Turner will each go on to compete at the national competition.
Stock Journal's Catherine Miller and Kiara Stacey each picked up a highly commended for best rural journalist - print, while Quinton McCallum was commended for his photography. Jacqui Bateman, a former international winner, was recognised as winner of the nature, landscapes and rural scenes photography category.
RMC committee member Ian Turner, who stepped back after eight years in the role of photography competition convenor, was surprised to be honoured with life membership of the committee in recognition of his many years of service to the committee and industry.
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