AgNet West marked its fifth anniversary of service provided to the California agriculture industry on July 12, 2017. The network started with 12 stations and has grown to include 33 radio stations throughout the state, reporting ag news from Shasta all the way down to Imperial County. Gary Cooper is the principal founder and President of AgNet Media, the parent organization of AgNet West. As the youngest of four boys, Cooper grew up on a 160-acre vegetable farm in south Florida, eventually earning a broadcast journalism degree from University of Florida. “I put the journalism and farm background together, and I have been doing farm communications ever since,” Gary said. Branching out to California was a big step for the company, and one of the driving factors was the increasing interest in specialty crops. Gary emphasized, “AgNet West now has the strongest on-air team in its history with News Director Sabrina Hill, Operations Manager Taylor Hillman and Multi-Media Journalist Brian German.” The original four daily headline segments that started the network have now expanded to several other daily headlines, as well as an hour-long program reporting on national, state and local ag issues. “The diversity of California agriculture is unlike the agricultural landscape of the Midwest and requires a different approach to broadcasting farm news,” Gary explained. “For all the information that growers are interested in, there were few avenues to access it. We’re an adjunct to communications for any association or organization in agriculture that wants to improve their communications to their members, their stakeholders in the field and the public in the areas in which we broadcast,” he noted. Gary expressed his appreciation to the affiliates who have worked with AgNet West. “The goal is to continue providing quality news to farmers and ranchers, while also bridging the informational gap between the agricultural community and the general public.” He concludes, “It’s been extremely welcomed by the farm community, and we’re just proud to have been able to put this kind of thing together in a state like California.”
The AgNet West Team
Sabrina Hill, Farm News Director, AgNet West
Sabrina joined the staff at AgNet West shortly after the network started in 2012. Within a few months, she was moved into the position of Farm News Director and lead anchor. Sabrina reflected, “It’s exciting to have been here from the start. In these five years, we’ve built up a strong network for our listeners, but I think what I love the most are the strong relationships we’ve formed within California’s vast and diverse farming community.” In 2014, AgNet West created its hour-long farm radio show Farm City Newsday, with Hill as the host and producer. An award-winning journalist, Sabrina has a background of more than 20 years as a news professional. She has worked in print and television news as well as radio. She is an active member of NAFB and was elected as 2016-17 West Region Vice President. In addition, she is chairperson of the NAFB News Service Committee. She speaks at events and is interviewed on agricultural and professional topics, such as California’s agricultural issues, women in agriculture, reaching the consumer, building an online presence, and working with the media. Contact Sabrina at Sabrina@agnetwest.com.
Taylor Hillman, Assistant Farm News Director, AgNet West
Operations Manager, AgNet Media
Taylor is a news professional from Clovis, CA, where he was an award-winning technical director and assignment manager for the area CBS affiliate. He earned a Best Newscast award from the NorCal Radio and Television News Directors Association and received an AP Best Newscast award. Hillman was raised in the state’s agriculture-rich Central Valley, where his grandfather was a cotton and alfalfa grower, and his uncle continues the farming tradition. The Hillman family has also been actively involved in the World Ag Expo for several years. Hillman is an active member of the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis and helps plan several major community events each year. Contact Taylor at Taylor@agnetmedia.com.
Brian German, Multi-Media Journalist, AgNet West
Brian is the newest addition to the staff at AgNet West, joining the team in 2017. As a radio professional, he has several years of experience working for multiple media outlets throughout the Central San Joaquin Valley. He earned his BA in mass communication and journalism from California State University (Fresno). Brian has always had a deep appreciation for the hard work that goes into agricultural production having grown up in the Central Valley. He has spent the past few years working specifically in the ag journalism industry, reporting on topics that affect farmers and highlighting the important role California agriculture plays in feeding the world. Contact Brian at Brian@agnetmedia.com.
