The Rappahannock Record in Kilmarnock claimed the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation’s top journalism honor and was named a co-winner in the non-daily newspaper category of the organization’s 2011 Journalism Awards.

The Record and the Culpeper Times shared the non-daily award. Debra McCown of the Bristol Herald Courier captured the daily newspaper category, and Harrisonburg’s WHSV-TV won top honors in the television category.

This year’s Members’ Choice Awards went to the Bull Run Observer in Manassas and Gwen Albers of the Tidewater News in Franklin. The Members’ Choice Awards, which began in 2010, are based on nominations by Farm Bureau members, although the winners are selected with the same judging criteria used for the other categories.

The 2011 awards marked the Rappahannock Record’s seventh consecutive win in the non-daily newspaper category, and the Culpeper Times’ second consecutive award.They were co-winners in 2010 as well.

“I’m always awed by the creativity and depth of information our media representatives put forth,” said VFBF President Wayne F. Pryor. “We are fortunate to have journalists who understand the importance of our industry and who are interpreting the issues and reporting them.”

The Record wowed the judging panel with its in-depth coverage of Chesapeake Bay issues, including a comparison of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Agriculture computer models that assess nutrient loads and environmental measures.

The newspaper also reported on bay studies and Farm Bureau’s stance on the issue of water quality in the bay, analyzed ramifications of the 2012 Farm Bill and covered zoning issues that affect farming.

“No other non-daily newspaper keeps its readers informed of national, state and local farming issues like the Record,” the judges noted.

Meanwhile, the Culpeper Times, with its colorful, feature-oriented style, impressed judges with an array of articles and special sections on the Chesapeake Bay cleanup challenge, the local pumpkin market, horse racing and volunteer farms where fruits and vegetables are grown for donation to local food banks.

Of particular note was its coverage of “Made in the Piedmont” and “Blue Ridge Produce” products that are locally certified.

The Times also wrote about farmers’ markets, specialty crops and Camp Fantastic, a farm program devoted to children with cancer.

“The Times’ artistic and colorful photos, charts and graphics pull you into its content and make you want to read,” the judges wrote. “Their ability to get your attention and then hold your attention makes this newspaper stand out.”

McCown, a veteran reporter with the Herald Courier, wrote lengthy feature stories on the state of the region’s dairy industry that included historic timelines, fascinating statistics and the evolution of the industry.

“The dairy coverage was the best we’ve ever read,” the judges said. “McCown explained how the complicated industry has evolved, from milk delivery days to the introduction of bulk tank dairying to the dairy buyout—and how each development changed dairy farming,” the judges pointed out.

She also explained how the industry has gone full circle from locally produced milk prior to the 1970s to large cooperatives to a partial return to a local product in recent years.

“This report was incredibly educational but also focused on Southwest Virginia farm families and the trials and tribulations of dairy farming,” judges said.

McCown also examined the region’s $30 million Christmas tree industry, highlighting what it takes to grow the renowned Mount Rogers Fraser Fir and efforts to brand the product.

Included in that report was Trees For Troops, a charitable program to supply trees for soldiers and their families.

“It was such an interesting, in-depth package on a part of farming that often gets overlooked,” the judges wrote. “The articles made it clear that Southwest Virginia has a very special industry here.”

In addition, McCown wrote about the history and evolution of Southwest Virginia’s burley tobacco industry and how some growers have switched to alternative crops. “This package also included a veritable Tobacco 101 course, from the pride of its growers to its heritage to the future,” judges said.

The Members’ Choice category was no less competitive. The Bull Run Observer, which organized and covered its own farm tour, also featured a children’s farm, Christmas tree growers and vegetable farmers. It explained Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardener program and wrote about antique tractors and cow trains.

In addition, this Manassas and Prince William County newspaper talked about community-supported agriculture and a program called “Harvest Help” and featured family farmers still working in this Washington suburb, as well as the area’s cut flower industry, wineries and a school lunch program that uses local products.

“So much agricultural information for such an urban locality,” the judges said. “The Observer is keeping its suburban readers well-informed and inspired by the goings-on of their farming neighbors. This is a classic example of the good work that can be done by a community newspaper.”

Joining the Observer as co-winner of the Members’ Choice Award was Albers of the Tidewater News in Franklin.

She wrote about a fourth-generation farm family fighting an eminent domain issue that stood to divide their farm, the area’s top peanut producer and what made that farm stand out, cotton facts and the nutritional value of peanuts.

Her work “took two of the area’s staple crops: peanuts and cotton, and gave the readers up-to-date information about each. These articles were so educational but also very entertaining,” the judges wrote.

In addition, Albers provided extensive coverage to the farm damage wrought by Hurricane Irene, as well as the impact of beneficial rains on the peanut crop.

WHSV-TV dazzled judges with its diverse coverage of a lingering drought in the region, the need for drought relief, the area’s farm-to-school program and how high fuel prices were affecting farmers.

“TV 3 reflects the area’s large farming industry with solid, objective and creative stories,” the judges said. “No other TV news in Virginia gets its hands dirty like WHSV.”

The news team also discussed the advantages of consuming local foods and how higher fuel costs make them an economic advantage; and how grocery prices have risen but not because of the farmer.

In addition, it analyzed serious issues affecting the industry, like the shortage of bees and beekeepers.

Honorable mention went to The Gazette-Virginian, Frances Hubbard of the Tidewater Review, Amanda Evans of the Wytheville Enterprise and Nancy Baker of Talk Loudoun, an online magazine.

With more than 150,000 members in 88 county Farm Bureaus, VFBF is Virginia’s largest farmers’ advocacy group. Farm Bureau is a non-governmental, nonpartisan, voluntary organization committed to protecting Virginia’s farms and ensuring a safe, fresh and locally grown food supply.