About Ag News Today Award winning journalist and owner Stephanie Collins - formerly Farmer Ag Journalist of the Year for Florida ( awarded by Florida Farm Bureau) - an honor for an independent publication journalist Honorary State FFA Degree Florida Friend of 4-H Award and other awards
My career as an ag journalist began about 10 years ago with "Hurricane" the pig, a 4-H club fundraiser to help hurricane victims. Hurricane was purchased at the Hillsborough County Fair Swine Auction for $12,000 to Picadilly Cafeteria. Soon after the sale, our club discovered this was not only a record price for our County Fair, but also any pig auction in the State of Florida. So, I wrote a story and sent it to Florida Agriculture magazine. Ed Albansi, the editor ran my story stating he did not edit it due to the "uniqueness" of the writing style. Not long after the story was published, George Parker with Farm & Ranch News offered me a job as an ag journalist. The rest is history.
Over the years, George and I have worked together as active advocates of agriculture and its youth. I have traveled literally thousands of miles not only throughout Florida, but also to places such as Washington DC, Indiana, Tennessee, Georgia and other states writing stories and advocating when necessary. In my travels, I have been blessed with face to face discussions with federal, state and local politicians on topics ranging from the importance of 4-H and FFA to agricultural issues like water, trade etc.. Plus, I have met a large variety of those in the agricultural industry from an FFA member raising fish to large ranchers, row crop farmers and researchers.
George has been there every step of the way coaching and training me as a journalist with his over 40 years of experience with Farm & Ranch News and the news industry. He has also guided me as other publications have and still continue to request I do freelance work for them such as Horse & Pony News and Fish Farming News, a national publication and wrote a story that was published in Citrus Industry Magazine at the request of Doug Homberg of Holmberg Farms.
A few years ago George retired Farm & Ranch News to which we I discussed my desire to start my own daily, online publication. Thus, Ag News Today came into fruition. Just like Farm & Ranch News, Ag News Today will continue to cover and advocate for agriculture and it's youth, while providing a source of news on a variety of agricultural topics as well .
Around this same time I took over the family business - Lacy Brown Specialty Advertising LLC. It started in a shoebox on my Mom and Dad's bed and I started by filing catalogs when I was about 10 years old and worked my way up.
If you would like to place an ad or sponsor me ( as some have done) to support what I do for agriculture and it's youth please let me know.
I hope you enjoy my publication and welcome any comments or suggestions. Just click the "Contact" link above.
Thank you, Stephanie Farmer - Owner -Ag News Today Ag Journalist of the Year for Florida ( awarded by Florida Farm Bureau) - an honor for an independent publication journalist Honorary State FFA Degree recipient - Florida Florida Friend of 4-H Award recipient other awards as well
The logo for my other business Lacy Brown Specialty Advertising LLC below represents my family. The sun represents Mom who used to take people food and send cards of encouragement to others. The deer represents Dad who loves to hunt. The deer is running as Dad is always telling me to hurry up. :-)
