This year the general meeting of ENAJ took place on December 5 at the Agribex fair in Brussels. It was an opportunity for the delegates to visit the fair. They were especially welcome at the ag robot industrial Lely, boot producer Bekina and the Better Life Star program at the boot of Van Hessche.
Welcome Greece
One of the highlights of the general meeting of ENAJ was the new Greek Agrifood Journalists Association (GAJA) joining ENAJ. All the delegates showed hands for approving the membership and applause followed. Greece is the 22nd member of ENAJ. Sofia Spirou, one of the founders of GAJA, said that the more than 20 members of the new Association highly appreciates the international membership. GAJA aims to bring together colleagues of the press, social media, TV and radio. The Association promotes the professional interest of its members.
Yearbook ENAJ brimful of information
ENAJ will publish at the end of January the first digital Yearbook. In this yearbook, we will present itself and all our members with data, facts, goals, activities and the topics of 2020. Who we/they are, what do we/they do, what were topics in past? It is a presentation for everyone who is interested in ENAJ and in the member associations/guilds and associated members. It puts ENAJ on the chard.
2,000 euro for the best publication about the Sagra phenomena
Who writes the best article or make the best radio or television program about the phenomena of the Sagra in Italy? He or she can win 2,000 euro. A Sagra is a local festival where hundreds of volunteers serve local food and traditional dishes to tourists and fellow countrymen. These Sagres are a big thing in Italy with 35.000 of these events with 3 million volunteers serving special meals. It’s connected to the local society and a genuine example of community. ENAJ is one of the organizations that gave the patronage to this new National Journalistic Award. The prize-awarding will be at the beginning of September 2020 during the Sagra in Malalbergo (near to Bologna). Read more about this on the ENAJ website.
Italian nettles – from weeds to ingredient
For most of us, nettles are weeds. A problem. For the Associazione Amice dell’Ortica di Malalbergo’ they are a challenge. These friends of the nettle (ortica in Italian language) promotes the production of this ‘crop’, of eating it or using it for pharmaceutical products. Even the president of Italy supports their activities. A big delegation of the Amice gave a presentation and a gastronomic dinner after the general meeting of ENAJ. It was an amazing and special event in which the journalists tasted delicious food with nettle. The ‘ortica’ plays an important role in the Sagra of the city of Malalbergo.
Farm visit in Merchtem
The day after we had an interesting farm visit at the Bart Vanderstraeten and Marijke d’Hertefelt farm in the village of Merchtem in Flanders. It’s a mixed farm of dairy, beef and arable farming, highly robotized and working with a biogas facility. Most interesting is the way this farm tries to build bridges between rural and urban society.