InsideClimate News series Harvesting Peril: Extreme Weather and Climate Change on the American Farm won the John B. Oakes Award. Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism declared ICN the winner, for its notable work in the field of environmental journalism.
In the news piece, they were able to deface the sinister motives of the country’s largest farm lobby, American Farm Bureau. It plotted to sabotage climate science and tried to hinder the climate policy. Ironically it put the interest of those farmers at risk that it represented.
The story took months of investigating journalism, reviewing countless documents and conducting several interviews which unearthed the real aim of American Farm Bureau.
The panel of judges has also complemented the ICN team for their remarkable work to show the problem on the ground and bringing forward a very important issue into the public eyes.
The late John B. Oakes was one of the few braves who initiated environmental journalism. The award is given to celebrate his great career and to give recognition to those who have carried out this difficult job after him.
Celebration of Great Environmental Journalism
Stacy Feldman, ICN’s Executive Editor Said, “it’s tremendously gratifying to be honored with this award, John B Oakes helped propel environmental issues into the national conversation. This is our mission, and it means so much to our team to be recognized at the time when reporting on earth’s changing environment, and the political forces affecting its future, is so critical.”
In the report, they were able to reveal the connection between the Farm Bureau and the fossil fuel companies that were in place for decades, which is undermining the implementation of global warming policies. They were also able to find out that the federal crop insurance program was encouraging farmers not to use environmental-friendly procedures which can prevent climate change.
The report shows how the agricultural sector is degrading the environment like the fossil fuel industry. It was a remarkable achievement for ICN as they have won it back in 2013, 2015 and 2016 as well
