Background information:

Hay & Forage Grower magazine is published by W.D. Hoard & Sons Co., which also publishes Hoard’s Dairyman. The company has been in business for over 130 years with offices located in Fort Atkinson, Wis. The family-owned company also publishes a number of community-based newspapers and operates a dairy farm just outside of the city.

Hay & Forage Grower publishes six times per year and maintains an electronic presence in the form of a website (hayandforage.com), Facebook (HayandForageGrower), Twitter (@hayandforage), and a weekly email newsletter (eHay Weekly). Magazine and newsletter content covers the United States with a mix of research-based forage topics, news, and farm features. The audience (circ. 64,000) includes livestock producers (dairy, beef, sheep, and horse), commercial hay producers, custom forage harvesters, and forage industry professionals.

The intern experience:

The Hay & Forage Grower editorial intern will have the opportunity to learn and hone many communication skills as he/she works closely with the editorial staff. These include:

  • Writing: The intern will write content for both eHay Weekly and Hay & Forage Grower. This will include a mix of both short, information-based articles and longer feature stories.
  • Social media: The intern will make regular Facebook page and Twitter feed contributions.
  • Layout: The intern will assist in the layout of eHay Weekly and post articles to the website.
  • Copy editing: The intern will assist in copy editing content for both Hay & Forage Grower and Hoard’s Dairyman magazines.
  • Photography: The intern will contribute to the company’s photo bank and learn new photography skills.
  • Travel: The intern will make several trips during the summer to cover forage events and visit farms for feature articles.
  • We make every effort to create an enjoyable and educational experience.

The intern will also enhance their technical knowledge in relation to forage production, storage, and feeding.


Listen to Michaela talk about her summer internship below.

Intern qualifications: The editorial intern will be a self-motivated individual exhibiting a passion for the livestock and/or forage industries. He/she must have good writing skills and the desire to become a better communicator. The preferred successful candidate will have farm experience and be entering their Junior or Senior year of college. All related agricultural or communication majors will be considered, including but not limited to journalism, ag communications, animal science, dairy science, or agronomy. Students who will be entering graduate school are also encouraged to apply. This is a paid internship.

Length of internship: May to August 2020 with an exact timeline determined by the student’s school schedule.

Location: The intern will work out of the Hay & Forage Grower office in Fort Atkinson, Wis.

Housing: Hay & Forage Grower will assist with housing/lodging if needed.

To apply: Submit (mail or email) a cover letter, resume, college grade transcripts (do not have to be official), and two letters of recommendation to Mike Rankin, Managing Editor, 28 Milwaukee Ave. W., Fort Atkinson, WI 53538. Email materials to mrankin@hayandforage.com.

Deadline: The application deadline is December 1, 2019.

Questions: Contact Mike Rankin at 920-979-4186 (cell) or mrankin@hayandforage.com.

Download the PDF of this information here.