Airing on the Side of Agriculture

John Gooding (WGFA/WIBK, Watseka, Illinois) was a typical farm kid growing up in rural America, participating in 4-H and FFA, and walking beans. When he graduated from the University of Illinois, where he studied economics, there really wasn’t enough acreage for him to return to the family farm. He went into banking for several years and attended The Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin.

Just thinking about how much he has loved broadcasting, Max Armstrong (WGN, Chicago, Illinois) offered his reflections about this business and how grateful he is for his various opportunities.

The Nebraska Rural Radio Association (NRRA) board of directors recently announced Tim Marshall will become the new CEO/general manager of the company effective January 1, 2020. Marshall succeeds Craig Larson who announced in March his plans to retire at the end of the year.

KWCL-FM, in Oak Grove, Louisiana, an affiliate of the Louisiana Agri-News Network (now Voice of Louisiana Agriculture Radio Network) for more than 30 years, was honored as 2019 Radio Station of the Year by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.

If you have lived in the Midwest, specifically eastern Iowa, you have no doubt heard the voice of Roger King, news director, KOEL-AM (Oelwein, Iowa). King started at KOEL in 1989 and was promoted to news director in 1999. He has been reporting the news to northeast Iowans for more than 30 years.

In late July, the Red River Farm Network (RRFN) hosted a dozen representatives of the advertising agency world for its annual Know Your Farmer Tour.

A new name to watch in farm broadcasting is Kirsten Rall. She is a 2019 ag communications graduate of North Dakota State University (NDSU), who started as an intern and is now the newest full-time member of the American Ag Network team. 

The Michigan Ag Information Network (MAIN) is proud to introduce Ashley Davenport as its new in-state farm broadcaster. Beginning August 1, Davenport became the face and voice of this growing radio network. 

Tom Steever joined the Brownfield (Jefferson City, Missouri) team in August 2003 after five years with American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF.)  On September 30, 2019, the veteran farm broadcaster is retiring from his full-time role as anchor/reporter and easing into a part-time position with Brownfield.

In this 75^th anniversary year of NAFB, we invited Jim Evans to share his reflections on the association’s early years. An emeritus faculty member in agricultural communications at the University of Illinois, Jim Evans began his professional career in farm broadcasting. He is a Meritorious Service Award recipient and an honorary member of NAFB.