Ten ‘agricultural journalists of the future’ – including Chelsea Dinterman, with Successful Farming – have been selected by the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) to participate in the 2025 Alltech Young Leaders programme.
Now entering its 20th year, the joint initiative – administered by IFAJ’s Presidium and the senior leadership of Alltech, a global leader in the agriculture industry – seeks to develop and support new and recent entrants to the profession through expert training, feedback and mentoring, delivered during a unique ‘Boot Camp’ at this year’s IFAJ Congress in Nairobi, Kenya, in October.
“For twenty years, Alltech and IFAJ have worked together to identify those who have the leadership potential to develop not only themselves, but the profession of agricultural journalism and communication as a whole,” says Adrian Bell, IFAJ secretary general.
“These ten Young Leaders will, like other YL alumni, become tomorrow’s leaders and influencers,” Bell enthuses, “continuing IFAJ’s mission to support and expand a vibrant, professional and well-skilled agricultural journalism sector to an ever-increasing number of countries.”
The ten 2025 Young Leaders are:
- Aizhan Rymbayeva, Kazakhstan and Türkiye
- Ben Eagle, United Kingdom
- Chelsea Dinterman, United States of America
- Johanna Fry, Germany
- Juliet Akoth, Kenya
- Keira Miller, Canada
- Luíza Cardoso,Brazil
- Nukanah Kollie, Liberia
- Rodrigo Bonazzola, Argentina
- Victoria Ellis, Australia
“Alltech has partnered with IFAJ since 2005 to support the Young Leader programme for promising agricultural journalists and communicators,” says Jenn Norrie, Alltech’s communications manager for North America and Europe.
“Not only does it hone the skills of their trade, but it also provides leadership and networking opportunities to contribute to their growth and development. The opportunity to connect with these young leaders early in their careers has been significant and has created many opportunities for me to connect my Alltech colleagues around the world with IFAJ-affiliated journalists in many of the countries that Alltech operates.
“Alltech is proud to support IFAJ and the agricultural journalists and communicators who give voice to farmers and producers, ensuring that stories of agriculture and food continue to be told around the world,” Norrie adds.
The Alltech Young Leaders programme invites applications from every one of the IFAJ’s 60 national associations, selecting just ten under-35s for the highly prized scholarships to participate in the three-day Boot Camp and attend the Congress that follows.
This marks the 20th year for the program sponsored by Alltech. Steve Werblow and Katie Knapp were among those invited to Alltech’s Kentucky office in April to discuss the program’s strength and further potential.
AAEA/ACN has had a member earn the honor nearly every year. Congratulations again to these individuals:
- 2024, Switzerland Courtney Girgis
- 2023, Canada Betty Haynes
- 2022, Denmark Megan Schilling
- 2021, Virtual Wyatt Bechtel
- 2019, USA (Minnesota) Kasey Brown
- 2018, Netherlands Katie Knapp
- 2017, South Africa Jessie Scott
- 2016, Germany Sarah Hill
- 2015, New Zealand Candace Weeda
- 2014, Scotland Amy Roady
- 2013, Argentina Jennifer Latzke
- 2012, Sweden Christy Couch Lee
- 2011, Canada Holly Spangler
- 2008, Austria Carey Brown
