Read More
Keith Kirkpatrick, who at 92 still broadcasts a weekly program on WHO (Des Moines, IA), marks his 65th year as an NAFB member this year. He attended his first NAFB convention in Chicago in 1952. His first of many committee assignments was Resolutions.
Read More
2002 NAFB President COLLEEN CALLAHAN BURNS was one of three Distinguished Service Award recipients honored by the University of Illinois at the 2017 Commencement activities in May. Bestowed upon alumni, faculty, staff and friends by the UI Alumni Association on behalf of the University, the award is presented to individuals or couples whose consistent, exceptional and meritorious service to the University of Illinois (U of I) has made a significant impact on the institution’s overall welfare and the advancement of its mission.
Read More
Jerry Passer (Brownfield Network, Cedar Rapids, IA) came out of retirement in October 2002, signing a six-month agreement to cover livestock markets for Brownfield. Now, nearly 15 years later, the veteran farm broadcaster is hanging up his microphone at the end of June.
Read More
Ag News Daily podcast was created in late 2016 by Mike Pearson and Delaney Howell, but their story goes much further back in time.
Read More
One of this year’s NAFB interns is Rhiannon Branch from Iuka, IL, in Marion County. Her mentor is Rita Frazer (RFD Radio Network, Bloomington, IL) Rhiannon is a recent graduate of Kaskaskia College and will be transferring to Murray State University (MSU) this fall to pursue an agri-science technology degree with a communications emphasis.
Read More
Although Tim Slusarczyk (Ag Radio Network, Inc., Barneveld, NY) is new to NAFB membership, he has been involved in farm radio for his whole life thanks to his grandfather Edwin Slusarczyk. From an early age, Tim spent time at Ag Radio Network, Inc., and even before he was officially on the payroll you could find him stuffing cassettes into envelopes for their affiliates and quietly observing Ed's talent in the recording booth during broadcasts.
Read More
Mick Kjar (Farm Talk Radio Network, KQLX, Fargo, ND) claims he is of the Baby Boomer generation, growing up in the 50s and 60s with cows and corn in southeast North Dakota. “I spent my teenage years cultivating corn and getting chased by angry momma cows.” Mick recalls, “The early 60s was the heyday of top-40 rock and roll radio and coincidentally the tractor radio. So, as I spent hours upon hours in the corn field or making hay, I fell in love with radio.
Read More
“Connecting with our agriculture audience is critical to being a successful farm broadcaster, but it can also have its pitfalls,” said Pam Jahnke (WI Farm Report Radio Network, Madison, WI). She reports that in April, 58 Wisconsin dairy farms of all sizes, got an unsigned, impersonal letter from their dairy processor announcing that as of May 1, they’d no longer have a home for their milk.
Read More
For the past 10 months there has been a new, second voice sharing agricultural markets and news with farmers in Wisconsin. Kristin Smith joined WAXX 104.5 FM/WAYY 105.1 FM, Midwest Family Broadcasting’s Eau Claire farm department as the assistant farm director helping NAFB Hall of Fame Broadcaster Bob Bosold with the daily and weekly chores.
Read More
Shawna Olson has been in the television industry since 1999. “I started out as a general assignment reporter, anchor and eventually became a meteorologist for the NBC and CBS affiliates in Fargo, ND,” she said. “I left the television industry to pursue a career in agriculture about seven years ago.