Steve Bridge (WFMB-AM/FM, Springfield, IL) was awarded an NAFB Foundation grant to participate in the Illinois Agricultural Leadership Program (IALP). He says participating in this program has been a very good decision. “The seminars are great, but the personal connection you make with the 29 people in the class is the best part. Our class began last November. Over the past year, we have had seminars at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, a week in Washington, DC, and a memorable trip to Gettysburg, PA.” In February and March, the group will travel for two weeks to Japan and Panama. “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. I’m honored to have been selected for the class and to join the small list of other farm broadcasters and journalists that are part of the IALP.” Individual members of the NAFB Broadcast Council are eligible to apply for a maximum of $1,000 that may be used for a variety of educational opportunities (like this leadership program). Steve is completing his second year of a two-year program. Applications are available through the NAFB Foundation.
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Farmer and farm radio host Dave Williams, left, receives the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award from Pennsylvania Farm Bureau (PFB) President Rick Ebert during the PFB 65th Annual Meeting in Hershey, PA. The award is presented to an individual whose dedicated work and service has significantly contributed to the advancement of Pennsylvania agriculture. Besides being the host and owner of the Pennsylvania Farm Country Radio Network, Dave is a vegetable, hay and straw farmer from Honesdale, PA, who served for eight years (2004-2012) on the PFB State Board of Directors. “It is a great honor to receive the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award,” Dave said. Earlier, he was the 2005 recipient of the PFB Distinguished Local Affairs Leader Award. Dave’s radio show is broadcast six days a week on 24 radio stations in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey, and he is the Northeast reporter for Rural TV, which is affiliated with RFD-TV.
Ty Higgins with Ohio Ag Net, recently launched a new weekend program connecting farmers to consumers with country music. Farm & Country Radio is currently airing on country stations from Tennessee to Iowa. Ty’s uncle, Scott, the CEO of The American Dairy Association Mideast, opened the door for him to start his radio journey right out of high school, by introducing him to farm broadcaster and former NAFB President Joe Cornely. “My career began in farm broadcasting, shifted to country radio for 15 years at WHOK in Columbus, OH, and now I have returned to my roots,” Higgins said. “I thought Farm & Country would be a great way to fully utilize my experience with both country music and the country life.” Guests on Farm & Country, highlighted as “Featured Farmers”, have included producers from all across the country and some that have made an impact nationally as a voice for the industry. “Derek Klingenberg was on the show shortly after he played his trombone for his cows, and I had no idea where that conversation was headed, but it was a good one,” Ty said.
Ben Nuelle (Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network, Des Moines, IA) is an agricultural journalist who works with farm broadcaster Ken Root. With this being Ben’s first job as a farm broadcaster he felt “learning from one of the best was important.” He added, “I am thrilled to be working for Ken. He has been a great mentor, and I hope to be just as good as him someday.” Ben’s daily routine consists of filing two stories a day for the network while also managing the network’s website. A graduate of Northwest Missouri State University with a B.S. in Mass Media (with an emphasis in Multimedia Journalism). He is a triplet from Higginsville, MO. His two brothers are Alex and Chad. Alex farms hay and cattle with his dad, Bob, and Chad is a district sales manager for LG Seeds. 
Film maker and NAFB allied industry member Conrad Weaver of ConjoStudios, LLC (Emmitsburg, MD) reports that his 2014 documentary the Great American Wheat Harvest film received a Mid-America Regional Emmy Award for Best Documentary – Cultural. “The Great American Wheat Harvest is a story about American harvesters who risk everything to put food on our tables. Each year they travel from Texas north across the Western Plains harvesting wheat and other crops that feed the world. The film follows their journey and tells their stories,” Conrad said. 
At the 2015 Indiana 4-H Congress in October, Gary Truitt, President of Hoosier Ag Today (HAT), presented the Indiana 4-H Foundation Communications Scholarship to Emily Clark, a 10-year 4-H member from Warrick County. Held at the State Fairgrounds, the 4-H Congress attracted more than 90 of Indiana's top 4-H youth for a day of training and achievement awards. Emily said 4-H has changed her life. "It has changed me as a person, especially my communications skills. I am a quiet person, but 4-H taught me how to express myself in a positive way." She is a college freshman at 
Long-time KICD AM/FM (Spencer, IA) Farm Director Dan Skelton announced that he will retire at the end of this year. Dan's career with KICD radio started in 1997 as a farm broadcaster and editor. In 2000, Dan became Farm Director. For nearly 19 years, area listeners have relied on his voice for the latest market information and ag-related news locally and nationally. 
Terry Henne (WSGW, Saginaw, MI) reports the sugar beet harvest in Michigan is approaching record yields. “So far, processing has been going without a hitch. Tonnage of harvested beets on average has been running more than 29 tons, which has never happened in 100+ years,” Terry said. The early harvest in Michigan generated more than 30% harvested acres.
Duane Murley (KWMT, Fort Dodge, IA) developed his interest in farm radio as he listened to AM 540 KWMT on the tractor radio while baling hay, cultivating, plowing late at night, or whatever he was doing on the tractor (or combine). Duane was born and raised in Sac City, IA, where his parents, two brothers and their families still reside. 
Susan Risinger joined the WJAG/KEXL & KQKX staff in 1989 as assistant news director and has been the farm director since 1991. “As for how I got into this business,” Susan said, “totally by accident.” She explains, “In 1981, I started working as a typesetter (now an ancient job description) for the weekly newspaper in Neligh, about 35 miles west of Norfolk, NE.