More than 100 communications professionals from across the country gathered in Rochester this June for American Farm Bureau’s annual public relations conference.

New York Farm Bureau’s Alan Knight won an award of excellence for best pamphlet or brochure and received an honorable mention for best series of editorials or commentaries. Teresa Paisley earned an honorable mention for best feature story.

Attendees were offered New York produce donated by Red Jacket Orchards, Welch’s, Apple Acres, the N.Y. Apple Association, Mott’s, Merle Maple Farm and the N.Y.S. Maple Producers Association. Wines were provided by the New York State Wine and Grape Foundation, beer donated by Ithaca Beer and cheese by McCadam Cheese.

The conference included a farm tour, which gave N.Y. Farm Bureau the opportunity to show off two farming operations in Monroe County. The first stop was Springdale Farm, where Farm Bureau member Robert Colby demonstrated the robotic dairy operation. The group was then treated to a tour of Casa Larga Vineyard, including sampling a variety of the outstanding wines produced by the winery.