• Former Contributing Editor Lee van der Voo won in the Business, Including Marketing category for reporting on the abusive and, in some cases, deadly working conditions of marine observers in the tuna industry.
• Contributor Alice Driver received the Donald Robinson Memorial Award for Investigative Journalism for her reporting on the Honduran spiny lobster industry, included in our investigative series Walanthropy.
• Former Senior Reporter Wesley Brown won in the Social Change category for his story on the historically systemic racism behind the USDA’s lack of financial support for Black farmers.
• Contributor Daniel Walton won an honorable mention in the Food and Drink category for his story about farmers who see untapped potential in wild tree crops like acorn and black walnut.

Staff Reporter Grey Moran won a Covering Climate Now award for food and agriculture reporting for their story, “How Crop Insurance Prevents Some Farmers From Adapting to Climate Change.” The judges noted, “In this stellar investigation, journalist Grey Moran shows how the program often, ironically, fails to benefit—and can even penalize—farmers adopting climate-friendly practices endorsed by the very same USDA. Following publication, the department said it would reexamine practices dictated by the crop insurance program and better align them with the agency’s climate goals. Stories about niche government policy often struggle to engage audiences, but this one is imminently accessible. One judge put Moran’s accomplishment succinctly: ‘A compelling, readable, sharable story about crop insurance? Amazing.’”

Contributor Kate Nelson won second place in health reporting in the 2024 Indigenous Media Awards for her story about an Indigenous-led team transforming a Minneapolis Superfund site into an urban farm. Nelson also received an honorable mention for best environmental coverage for her story about how Alaska’s climate-driven fisheries collapse is devastating Indigenous communities.

Senior Staff Reporter and Contributing Editor Lisa Held and Contributor Ciara O’Brien were finalists in the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists’ (SPJ) 2024 Dateline Awards in the Online, Non-Breaking News category for their reporting on virtual fences for livestock and a new Lidl supermarket, respectively. Photojournalist Jake Price was a finalist in the online photography category for his photo essay on DC Central Kitchen’s efforts to fight summer hunger in the nation’s capital.

Staff Reporter Grey Moran won first place for Print Features from SPJ’s Louisiana chapter for their reporting on the challenges U.S. shrimpers endure in the face of cheap imports.

Staff Reporter and Contributing Editor Lisa Held and contributors Alice Driver and Aaron Van Neste were finalists for a James Beard Foundation Media Award for Excellence in Investigative Reporting for our 2023 investigation series on Walmart and the Walton Family Foundation, Walanthropy. Contributor Virginia Gewin was a finalist for a James Beard Foundation Media Award for Excellence in Health Reporting for her story about toxins and pollution around California’s Salton Sea.

From North American Agricultural Journalists (NAAJ), Staff Reporter Moran won first place in the 2024 Writing Contest for News Reporting for their story, “How Crop Insurance Prevents Some Farmers from Adapting to Climate Change.” Moran also won third place from NAAJ in the Next Generation/Young Writer category for their reporting. Held won third place from NAAJ for Feature Reporting for her story, “Walmart’s ‘Regenerative Foodscape,’” part of our 2023 Walanthropy investigative series. Both Moran and former Executive Editor Twilight Greenaway received honorable mentions in the same category for their reporting on paraquat and regenerative chicken farming, respectively. Held also won an honorable mention from NAAJ in the Ongoing Reporting/Series category for her reporting on the farm bill.

Contributor Alice Driver won the Anthony Lukas Work-in-Progress Award for her book, The Life and Death of the American Worker, which includes reporting previously published in our investigative series, Injured and Invisible.

Contributor Gabriel Pietrorazio won an honorary mention from the Military Reporters and Editors for his reporting on food insecurity in the military.

We’re thankful that our work has been recognized. But we’re not on this mission alone, so please join us and consider donating, becoming a member, or giving a gift membership today. From all of us at Civil Eats, thank you for being part of our community.