2015 is starting out very interesting, reports Tony Purcell (Texas State Networks, Dallas, TX). “First, we have a new Texas Commissioner of Agriculture. Sid Miller is a working farmer and professional roper.”

A blog from National Western Stock Show (NWSS) describes Brian Allmer’s (Brian Allmer Radio Network, Briggsdale, CO) work as the voice of Stadium Arena Cattle Shows. For the third year, Brian was the "official announcer" for all cattle shows in the stadium arena during the 2015 NWSS in Denver, January 10-25. The 16-day show serves as an entertainment arena, hosting one of the world’s richest regular season, professional rodeos, the “super bowl” of livestock shows, nationally recognized horse shows and Colorado’s largest Western Trade Show.

The New Year brought two new staff members to the farm department at KRVN, Jesse Harding (front) and Trey Blomenkamp. They both hit the ground running through producing reports and traveling the coverage area to meetings and conventions.

Bruce Kayser (WSBT-AM/WHFB-FM, Mishawaka, IN) has announced that he will be retiring this year. He grew up in South Bend, IN, surrounded by corn and soybean fields. At the time, he never gave it much thought. His broadcasting career started in the early ‘70s as a part-time announcer at WSBT in South Bend. “In the mid-70s, I took a full-time position as a radio morning show host in Columbia, TN. Little did I realize this would be an introduction to the world of agriculture. At that time, growing tobacco was big business in the Middle Tennessee area. 

Anchor/Reporter Tom Steever (Brownfield Ag News, Jefferson City, MO) received the Missouri Department of Agriculture’s Farm Broadcaster of the Year Award at the Governor’s Conference in December 2014. Also in December, Tom received the 2014 Excellence in Agriculture Award from the South Dakota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and South Dakota Soybean Association.

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