Airing on the Side of Agriculture

“When I was in sixth grade, I told a friend that I wanted to someday be on the radio,” said Mike Adams (Adams on Agriculture).  “Of course, back then my concept of radio was music and ball games.  I didn’t even know there were farm broadcasters on the radio.  Also, I didn’t know that working on a farm would be the best education and career preparation I could get.”

Greg Martin (WJBC, Bloomington, IL) said, “It has been an interesting road that has led me from Kansas to Illinois back to Kansas to Washington State and finally back to Illinois. Such is the life of a radio personality.”  He explained, “In a way it’s a full circle for me since my first program director job was in Bloomington, IL, some 32 years ago for WIHN 96FM.

On March 28, Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network announced an addition to its team of farm broadcasters.  Dustin Hoffmann will serve as the network’s Broadcast Services Supervisor and Farm Broadcaster starting on April 2. Dustin comes to the network from Redwood Falls, MN, where he served as Farm Director for KLGR.

For the first time in eight years, Prairie Farmer has named an Honorary Master Farmer.  They chose Max Armstrong (WGN, Chicago, IL, and Penton Agriculture, Aurora, IL). 

The Thomas Fire that burned through Ventura County last December became the largest fire in California’s history, and it led to some major agricultural losses, reports Patrick Cavanaugh (California Ag Today, Clovis, CA). “There were 6,603 acres of avocados, 1,800 acres of lemons, and another 540 acres of oranges, as well as another dozen crops that were affected,” said Henry Gonzales, the Agricultural Commissioner of Ventura County.

Mid-West Family Broadcasting has gained a new voice for Wisconsin agriculture. Jenna Lee Crayton is the Assistant Farm Director for the Wisconsin Farm Report Radio Network. Jenna Lee works alongside the “Fabulous Farm Babe,” Pam Jahnke, to keep the public informed on Wisconsin agriculture from field to fork. Jahnke said, “I’m excited to have Jenna as our assistant. Her passion for Wisconsin agriculture is obvious, and I’m looking forward for our audience to connect with her as they hear her every day.”

If Colter Brown (Northern Ag Network, Billings, MT) had a dollar for every time he’s heard that, he said, “I wouldn’t have to work at all.” Even though he’s been around farm broadcasting his whole life, if you would have asked him five years ago if he was going to be on the Northern Ag Network, his answer would’ve been, “Not a chance.” He explained, “I think my dad would tell you that he never intended on being in farm broadcasting for his entire career. Dad always planned on going back to the ranch, but the farm economy, life and the Lord intervened. 

Winter is a busy meeting season. Don Wick (Red River Farm Network, Grand Forks, ND) said, “In addition to local and regional events, RRFN has covered the Cattle Industry Convention in Phoenix, American Farm Bureau Convention in Nashville, Potato Expo in Orlando, American Sugarbeet Growers Association’s Annual Meeting in Washington, DC, and U.S. Custom Harvesters Convention in Grand Island, NE.

(When NAFB Hall of Famer Wey Simpson read John Winfield’s career story in the February 2018 issue, he was moved to write the following.) “I was intrigued by John Winfield’s note that he always wanted to be in radio.  That's exactly what I wanted, too.  In the mid-1930s when we were riding into Spokane from our Deer Park, WA, farm I announced to my parents that I wanted to be a radio announcer.

Tony Purcell (Texas State Networks, Dallas, TX) reports, “The 2018 agricultural outlook for Texas is good. There is a lot of potential for Texas Agriculture. With nearby cotton futures over 80 cents on a big crop, and fed cattle cash over $120, this could likely be a turn-around year.”