Andrew McCrea (Farm Journal Media, Maysville, MO) is celebrating the 20th anniversary of his program, American Countryside, this year. What started as a once-a-week program became a daily syndicated show in 2000. He estimates there have been approximately 4,500 broadcast features in that time. Every interview is done on-location. “We have done interviews from all 50 states and six continents,” Andrew said. “I began American Countryside on October 5, 1996, on KFEQ Radio (St. Joseph, MO). Tom Brand, a friend I had met while we were at the University of Missouri, helped me edit the programs as he was then KFEQ Farm Director.” He explained, “For the first three years, I wrote and produced just one feature each week. Early in 2000, the Brownfield Network offered me the opportunity to move to a Monday through Friday format. In 2013, I had the opportunity to join Farm Journal Broadcasting to not only continue the daily American Countryside features, but also begin producing them for television and print.” How does he find interviews for his program? Andrew answers, “I continue to speak to many groups across the nation, and I use those speaking engagements to get me places to do the interviews. Also, I actively operate our farm and ranch in northwest Missouri while still writing and producing American Countryside.” Andrew concludes, “KFEQ has carried the program for 20 years, and many other stations have been with us for well over a decade. I’ve enjoyed the chance to meet so many people and share their stories with our listeners and viewers.”
Andrew McCrea conducts an interview with a farmer/co-op manager in a rural area of Ghana. This radio work was done for the Farm Journal foundation. Also, the interviews were a part of his American Countryside program. He just returned from Ghana in late November.
