Reporter

Farm and Dairy has an opening for a full-time reporter to join its newsroom. We're a weekly agricultural newspaper that has a strong online presence. In recent years, we’ve won national and international awards for our reporting on the dairy industry, rural broadband expansion, mental health and farm stress, climate change and the obstacles new farmers face. Our feet are firmly rooted in the region we cover — Ohio, western Pennsylvania and parts of West Virginia — but we keep a keen eye on what is going on in the world as context. We believe the coverage of agricultural, food policy and rural issues needs sharp minds and articulate voices to ask questions and dig, not just rewrite press releases.

At the same time, we love a good farm feature story. We publish information on local pancake breakfasts, pasture walks and 4-H events. We're locally renowned for our auctions and rural classifieds sections. We provide a valuable source of information to our community, and we have been an institution in regional rural and agricultural news for more than 100 years.

We’re looking for someone who understands what it means to be grounded in the region you cover. Who sees story ideas all around and can’t help but dig deeper into them. We want a journalist who sees a story through.

The ideal candidate lives in the region we cover, has a foundation of solid journalism skills and a passion to engage with both print and online communities. A background in agriculture is a plus, but not required. An open mind and willingness to learn is more important.

Qualified applicants must possess the following:

Reporting, interviewing and smart writing chops, paired with a flair for narrative storytelling and a dedication to accuracy. Knowledge of AP Style.

An ability to identify and execute unique, high-quality story ideas.

Awareness of and adherence to journalistic ethics. You’re a journalist, not a cheerleader.

Ability to communicate effectively — and build relationships and trust — with all contacts/sources and co-workers.

Flexibility. Applicant must be a team player in a small newsroom where everyone wears a lot of hats. You’ll be writing enterprise stories and also editing news briefs and columns. It is all hands on deck for some projects.

Knowledge/use of social media products for news gathering/crowdsourcing purposes.

We’ll like you even more if you can take a good photo or know your way around a spreadsheet and how to find a story in the data or create something visual.

Excellent English spelling, grammar and punctuation skills.

Ability to work with desktop and online platforms.

Willingness to travel and get out there. We cover three states, and we like to be present in our coverage areas as much as is feasible.

We operate on a hybrid work schedule. We strive for two regular days in the office, in Salem, Ohio, and the rest working remotely, but we’re flexible. Also, evening and weekend hours aren’t the norm, but they’re not unheard of. Qualified candidates living anywhere within our coverage area are encouraged to apply.