The Research Communications team received two top awards Sept. 30 at the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation annual conference in Quebec City, Que.

The 2016 Agri-Food Yearbook Making an Impact, highlighting the OMAFRA-U of G partnership, won the gold award in the category for general periodicals.

Published by the Office of Research, the magazine is edited by Owen Roberts, director of research communications, and written by students in the Students Promoting Awareness of Research Knowledge (SPARK) program. Other team members on the yearbook included Liz Snyder, manager of research communications; Alaina Osborne, senior SPARK writer; OMAFRA – U of G Partnership staff members Rebecca Moore and Robyn Meerveld; and former SPARK writer Joey Sabljic.

Roberts also won gold in the daily press reporting category for his article A Special E-Delivery Down on the Farm, the inaugural story of the New Farm series he wrote for the Toronto Star. The story features inventive use of electronic communications technology by U of G alumnus Tim May, a dairy farmer near Guelph.

The full list of awards is posted on the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation website.