Airing on the Side of Agriculture

West Texas has been stuck in a drought for 40-plus months, reports Tony St. James (KDDD, Dumas, TX and KFLP, Floydada, TX).  Any rain across the region is usually wiped out by high winds and hot temps.  “But now we may be seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.”  Widespread rain the last week of May filled rain gauges for the first time in four years... 

All three past presidents are currently on the air for Red River Farm Network (RRFN). They are Mike Hergert (2001), Don Wick (1997) and Randy Koenen (2008). In addition, Jody Heemstra is currently the NAFB West Region Vice President...

IN HIS FIRST YEAR IN PEORIA…AgriBusiness Director, DeLoss Jahnke WMBD/WIRL, Peoria, IL is enjoying being back in farm broadcasting. He has back on air since last August.

Ag News Director Craig Mead (Mid America Ag Network, Wichita, KS) began his radio career in 1974 at KNIC (Winfield, KS). “I well remember the ‘Stockman's Advisories’ issued by the weather service in those days.

NAFB Foundation President, Ken Root (Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network, Dyersville, IA/WGFA, Watseka, IL) is busy drafting the entry and judging qualifications for the new Doan Award that will be presented to NAFB members who attain a high-level of journalistic excellence as recognized by their peers. Announcement of the criteria will be made at the NAFB Convention in November. The first winners will be recognized at Washington Watch 2015

A former Pennsylvania farmer left Manasquan, NJ, last Saturday, April 26,to begin his cross country trek driving a 1948 John Deere, Johnny Popper, all the way to Crescent City, CA.  C. Ivan Stoltzfus is an auctioneer and real estate broker, as well as a retired farmer.

Service to Forestry and Farming was recognized recently as three were inducted into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction at a banquet held at White Oak Plantation in Baton Rouge.

The newest addition to the AgNet West (Fresno, CA) team is Taylor Hillman, who is Assistant Farm News Director. Hillman is a news professional from Clovis, CA, where he was an award-winning technical director and assignment manager for the area CBS affiliate. 

Michigan Farm Radio Network broadcaster, Nicole (Schaendorf) Heslip was featured in the March issue of Michigan Farmer  as part of their Women in Agriculture series. She was the youngest to be featured. Nicole graduated with a degree in Agricultural and Natural Resources Communications at Michigan State University (MSU) in 2010.

A tornado touched down last Sunday night, April 27, in north Central Arkansas. Gary DiGiuseppe (Arkansas Radio Network, Little Rock, AR) said, “Among the hardest hit communities were Vilonia and Mayflower in Faulkner County, north of Little Rock. The county recorded 10 fatalities.