Born in Bury, Lancashire, John Winterbottom (his full name) was for ten years agricultural correspondent of the Manchester-based Daily Dispatch. In May 1958 he joined the Daily Mail as agricultural correspondent, noting 21 years later that 'farming has always been important to the Daily Mail, and it has far more farmers among its readers than any other national newspaper'.
In 1968 John won the Fisons Award for agricultural journalism for his coverage of the foot-and-mouth epidemic of 1966-67. In 1977 the Queen recognised his service to agriculture by appointing him MBE in her Jubilee Honours.
John Winter retired in June 1979 and died in 1980 at the age of 68.