Airing on the Side of Agriculture

Pretending To Be A Radio Host Became A Reality

Dillon Davis (The AgWatch Network, Jonesboro, AR) was born in a small town in northeast Arkansas. In his youth, he spent a lot of his time pretending to be a radio host or anchorman while helping his grandfather tend to their farm. After high school graduation, Dillon attended Arkansas State University where he majored in broadcast journalism.

Molino Earns Broadcasters' Lifetime Achievement Award

Don Molino (Voice of Louisiana Agriculture Radio Network, Baton Rouge, LA) received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters on March 21. How did Don get started in radio? “The owner of a radio station in Paris, TX, was a family friend, and his kids were some of my best friends. 

It's A Small World

In the late 1980s, Ken Root (Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network, Dyersville, IA) left farm broadcasting to be the Executive Director of the National AgriChemical Retailers Association (NARA) as an offshoot of American Cyanamid Company. “My board of directors was made up of 35 fertilizer and agricultural chemical dealers from across the country. One director was from Georgia.

Farm Broadcaster and Station Owner

About two years ago, Todd Whelan bought KDHN Radio Station in Dimmitt, TX. Todd is proud to report that his station is now an NAFB member station. Todd is a veteran farm broadcaster with 34 years’ experience in Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Michigan, and Iowa.

Radio Broadcasts From His Front Porch

Rick Haines (KMON, Great Falls, MT) reports that spring has finally come to the Salmon River Valley after what even the old timers called a harsh winter.  “As you see from the picture, things are greening up, and I currently have two mating pair of geese, two otters, thousands of birds including the Western Meadow Larks and Robins, Hungarian Partridge and elk, deer and bear to join me as I do radio from my front porch!” 

Halvorson Marks 20-Year Anniversary

Rusty Halvorson recently marked 20 years at the American Ag Network (Fargo, ND). His broadcasting career is rooted in family tradition. As a young boy, Rusty sat beside his father, Lee, in the sports broadcast booth and watched as his dad announced countless radio play-by-play broadcasts across North Dakota.

 

Minnesota Farm Broadcasters Wins The Doan

Dedicated to delivering agriculture news to U.S. farmers and ranchers, farm broadcasters provide daily news coverage on topics critical to the industry. Farm broadcasters are up before the sun, providing stories focused as much on production ag as helping to bridge the gap between farmer and consumer, lending insight and knowledge to their listener. 

Broadcasting Skills Help Gilkey As Mayor

Mayor KayDee Gilkey (Ag Information Network of the West, Fairfield, WA) puts down her gavel as mayor to pick up her mike as a farm broadcaster.

Rahjes Wears Two Hats

When Ken Rahjes is not wearing his broadcasting hat (agview.net, Agra, KS) he is working as a member of the Kansas House of Representatives. To the question of what is on the pulse of farmers, he said, “This could be described as ‘the winter of our discontent’ as it has lacked moisture in the form of snow or even rain. The warm temperatures have some farmers itching to start with field work. In fact, in mid-February we saw some anhydrous ammonia being applied. It looks like this will be a year when the wheat will use up many lives to make it to harvest.” 

Katie Wilson: I Never Dreamed Of Going Into Radio

“My career as a farm broadcaster began in August 2015,” said Katie Wilson (WSMI, Litchfield, IL).” She was working as a County Farm Bureau Manager in northern Illinois and “the job was in the wrong location and not a perfect match.” In her second year of the working world, she began searching for a new job. She was born and raised in Litchfield, IL, on a small grain and livestock farm. 

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