Laura Reiley wins Paul Hansell Award

The Florida Society of News Editors’ 2017 Paul Hansell Award goes to Tampa Bay Times food critic Laura Reiley for her ambitious “Farm to Fable” series exposing deceit in the food industry.

The judges were impressed by the thoroughness of her investigation and what it revealed about false claims of locally sourced ingredients everywhere from farmers’ markets to restaurants. “It was a deeply reported story that exposed widespread deception regarding one of our most intimate choices we make — what food we put in our bodies,” said Ravi Nessman, South news director for The Associated Press. “The victims included the little guy, struggling small-scale farms whose names — but not products — were being used by restaurants to sell expensive meals. And they included consumers, who believed they were eating something very different than they actually were.”

The annual Paul Hansell Award for Distinguished Achievement in Florida Journalism — named after a long-time AP bureau chief in Florida — recognizes overall excellence in reporting and writing by a journalist at a Florida newspaper.