Beyond the Alps
During our time in Switzerland with the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) Congress, our group had the opportunity to learn more about agricultural communications around the world. We also got to visit many Swiss farms, learn about the agricultural industry in Switzerland, and network with agricultural journalists from around the world, all while taking in the beautiful scenery in Switzerland.
On our first day, we were able to connect with current students at Bern University and the IFAJ Young Leaders––who are beginning agricultural journalists—from around the globe. We learned about the similarities and differences in how the U.S. communicates about agricultural topics compared to other countries. In the U.S., we don’t worry about lack of access to phones and the internet to communicate news and information. However, that is an issue some other countries face. It was interesting to learn about how some countries lean on radio and television advertisements to communicate agriculture topics to the public in a different way than we do in the U.S.
On the day of the congress session, we were able to listen to various speakers who provided insights into the agricultural industry in Switzerland. They shared issues the industry is facing, how agriculturalists – particularly agricultural journalists – are working to combat and solve these issues, and other topics like food labeling. A highlight for our whole group was listening to Jeff Rowe, CEO of the Syngenta Group, speak. After his speech, we were able to take a picture with him, which he later posted to his LinkedIn where he gave us a shoutout! It was a day full of growth, learning, and being surrounded by some of the best journalists in the industry.
As the congress continued in the following days, we were able to take a tour into the Northeastern side of Switzerland. This allowed us to see almost half of the country in just one day! We visited four different farms, from an orchard to a dairy farm, and even a dairy-beef crossbred farm. We were immersed in the Swiss industry and got to hear firsthand accounts from farmers who have spent their lives dedicated to agriculture. While it was an early morning and late night all of us enjoyed the day, having meaningful conversations about agriculture, and getting to know each other more.
As the trip wrapped up, we still had a few more days in Switzerland. On the final day of the congress, we visited one last farm and got to take a trip to the Jungfraujoch - Top of Europe. All eight students piled into a gondola and then a train to take the trip. When we reached the top what we would usually see is an amazing view of Switzerland. However, it was a cloudy day, so while all we could see was white clouds, it was still a neat experience! We ended the night with our final congress dinner and got to watch the IFAJ Band perform, which highlighted—our very own—lead singer Owen Roberts.
The trip was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience Swiss agriculture, network with global agricultural journalists, and learn more about agricultural communications!