Ben Nuelle didn't set out to work in the pork industry. He wanted to be on the radio. His broadcasting journey began early in life, listening to farm radio while working alongside his father on the family's hay and cattle farm near Higginsville, Missouri.
Years later, it would open doors to agricultural broadcasting, Capitol Hill and, ultimately, his current role as producer services director for the Missouri Pork Association. Nuelle oversees producer education, youth programs, swine health initiatives and membership relations.
"I wanted to get into radio," Nuelle said. "I reached out to a local station just trying to get my foot in the door."
That opportunity came while he was still in high school at KMZU in Carrollton, Missouri, where he worked on-air and met longtime farm broadcaster Janet Adkison. After earning a communications degree from Northwest Missouri State University, Nuelle joined the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network, where veteran broadcaster Ken Root became an influential mentor.
"I thought growing up on a hay and cattle operation meant I understood agriculture," Nuelle said. "Ken told me, 'You really need about two years before you fully understand everything.' He was right."
His career eventually took him to Des Moines, where he worked for U.S. Senator Joni Ernst for three years before joining Agri-Pulse Communications in Washington, D.C. There, he covered agricultural policy, trade negotiations and congressional hearings, gaining a deeper understanding of the issues shaping agriculture.
"One thing I really took away from Agri-Pulse is the context of how a bill becomes a law and how it first starts out as an idea," Nuelle said. "Being able to communicate clearly and get the message right the first time is something that carries over into everything I do."
After several years in Washington, Nuelle returned to the Midwest, first with the Iowa Pork Producers Association and now with Missouri Pork, where he enjoys helping producers while introducing young people to careers within the pork industry.
He also remains committed to NAFB, crediting the organization with helping him grow as a broadcaster and communicator.
"While we're all competitors, they're more than willing to help you if you ask," Nuelle said. "I really understood the value of continuing to be a part of the association and finding ways to give back."
As a current member of the NAFB Board of Directors representing the Allied Industry Council, Nuelle hopes to encourage the next generation to stay engaged.
"Those personal connections still matter," he said. "I think it's important to help the folks who are coming behind us because we need good farm broadcasters and strong communicators in agriculture."
