Bee Editor Wins

Agricultural Journalism Award

Newtown Bee Associate Editor Kaaren Valenta this week received the Connecticut Agricultural Journalism Award for her feature story, “The County’s Last Commercial Dairy Farm Makes A Stand,” which was published on July 14, 2004.

The award was presented by the Connecticut Agriculture & Natural Resources Association, a coalition of state farming groups, in a ceremony during Connecticut Agriculture Day on Wednesday in the State Capitol.

The awards, now in their ninth year, recognize excellence in reporting on agriculture issues published or broadcast in the state.

The Bee article reported on the ice cream stand opened by the Ferris family on their dairy farm, Ferris Acres, on Route 302 last summer.

During the Ag Day ceremonies, Gov M. Jodi Rell pointed out that Connecticut has more than $2 billion in income from agricultural production each year. She praised Shirley Ferris, who served as commissioner of agriculture for eight years, for her efforts to promote and preserve agriculture in the state.