When Addison Stoddard began college at Utah State University, she thought her future was in Extension and local food marketing.
Today, she's the farm director for the Kansas Farm and Ranch Radio Network, but getting there wasn't part of the original plan.
Stoddard grew up in southeastern Idaho, surrounded by agriculture. While her family wasn't involved in commercial farming, they operated a farmers market business for nearly 18 years, growing and selling produce while teaching her the value of agriculture from an early age.
"When I got into FFA in high school, it was kind of like a different love for agriculture that I discovered," Stoddard said. "I really enjoyed learning about it and participating in it."
That passion led her to pursue degrees in agricultural communications and journalism at Utah State University. Originally, she envisioned a career in Extension, but after working in a research-focused internship, she realized it wasn't the right fit.
"I liked the topic, but I just was not interested in consistently doing research," she said.
A multimedia course introduced her to broadcasting, and an internship with Utah Public Radio's agriculture program changed everything.
"I just really fell in love with it and really enjoyed the radio," Stoddard said.
Even when she interviewed for her current position in Kansas, she wasn't entirely sure broadcasting was the path she wanted to take.
"As soon as I heard about the job, I just instantly knew that this was something that I was going to really enjoy," she said.
Stoddard joined the Kansas Farm and Ranch Radio Network in May 2025 and recently celebrated her first year on the job. What she enjoys most is the opportunity to learn alongside the farmers and ranchers she interviews.
"Even though I have the responsibility to teach people and inform people about what's going on in Kansas agriculture, it's such a good opportunity for me to also learn," she said.
She says every producer has a unique story to tell.
"I'm always shocked over and over again about how much I learn from somebody that I think is just going to tell me the same thing over and over again," Stoddard said.
As a young broadcaster, she credits NAFB with helping her navigate the industry.
"NAFB has been seriously life-changing in this industry," she said. "People that had been in the industry for years and years told me, 'If you ever have any questions or want to know how we do something, reach out.'"
Looking ahead, Stoddard hopes to become the kind of broadcaster others trust and rely on.
"I want farmers and producers and people in the industry to be able to look to me and say, 'Okay, I know I can give her my information, and she's going to be a reliable source to share it with other people,'" she said.
For anyone considering a career in farm broadcasting, her advice is simple: "Just try it."
