The Association of Food Journalists (AFJ) was a US-based

professional organization A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) is a group that usually seeks to advocacy, further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in ...

that operated from the early 1970s through 2024. It was created to promote high standards for journalists reporting and writing on food, the food industry, restaurants, cookbooks and related fields.

Background

The AFJ was founded by

Milwaukee Journal The ''Milwaukee Journal Sentinel'' is a daily morning broadsheet printed in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it is the primary newspaper and also the largest newspaper in the state of Wisconsin, where it is widely read. It was purchased by the G ...

food editor Peggy Daum in response to blistering statements by U.S. Senator Frank Moss who, in an address at a food writers' conference in 1971, harshly accused food journalists, mainly women, of being strongly influenced by PR agencies and lobbyists for the food industry -- as well as their publications' advertising departments -- by accepting gifts, free travel and lodging, and other favors. Kimberly Wilmot Voss, a scholar of

women's page The women's page (sometimes called home page or women's section) of a newspaper was a section devoted to covering news assumed to be of interest to women. Women's pages started out in the 19th century as Society reporting, society pages and event ...

s, where at the time most newspaper food writing appeared, points out that at the time, women were excluded from most major US professional journalism organizations. Known for his consumer advocacy positions, Moss asked them, "Ladies, are you the pawns of your advertising managers -- or are you journalists?" The conference at which Moss spoke was the Newspaper Food Editors' Conference, which since 1943 had been hosted by The Newspaper Advertising Sales Associates with funding from major commercial food producers and

lobbying Lobbying is a form of advocacy, which lawfully attempts to directly influence legislators or government officials, such as regulatory agency, regulatory agencies or judiciary. Lobbying involves direct, face-to-face contact and is carried out by va ...

organizations such as the American Meat Institute. Historically the weeklong conferences included product promotion. Shortly after the conference, the ''

Columbia Journalism Review The ''Columbia Journalism Review'' (''CJR'') is a biannual magazine for professional journalists that has been published by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961. Its original purpose was "to assess the performance ...

'' published what Voss called a "scathing critique" of newspaper food sections, which further motivated women food journalists. At the time, many US newspapers still included advertising in their food sections.

Founding

A group of women gathered in Daum's conference hotel room the evening after Moss's speech and started planning a professional association for food writers. By 1974, it was up and running with 97 members. Daum became its first president, with Marian Burros of the

Washington Star ''The Washington Star'', previously known as the ''Washington Star-News'' and the ''Washington'' ''Evening Star'', was a daily afternoon newspaper published in Washington, D.C., between 1852 and 1981. The Sunday edition was known as the ''Sunday ...

, later of

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

, as vice president.

Work

The association gave awards for the best writing in various media categories and held conferences for its members. Notable recipients of AFJ awards include Jackie Summers, David Leite,

Ted Genoways Ted Genoways (born April 13, 1972) is an American journalist and author. He is a contributing writer at '' Mother Jones'' and ''The New Republic'', and an editor-at-large at ''Pacific Standard''. His books include ''This Blessed Earth'' and ''T ...

, Russ Parsons and Mikki Kendall.AFJ winners in 2018 Food Journalism Competition
Association of Food Journalists website, accessed September 20, 2019. Central to the AFJ's purpose was its code of ethics intended to "protect its members’ integrity and preserve their credibility." The code laid out guidelines for its members to follow to insure the journalistic standards of objectivity in their reporting and writing, free from outside influence. The AFJ guidelines for restaurant reviewers included waiting at least a month before visiting a newly opened restaurant and to experience the restaurant meals "as anonymous as possible" -- considered standard practices today.

Dissolution

The association was dissolved in 2020 due to lack of funds; the organization's business model depended on print journalism organizations providing indirect financial support via paying their staffers' membership dues, their expenses for attending conferences, and their entry fees for awards.

References

{{reflist Journalism-related professional associations Food- and drink-related organizations