Tom Steever joined the Brownfield (Jefferson City, Missouri) team in August 2003 after five years with American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF.) On September 30, 2019, the veteran farm broadcaster is retiring from his full-time role as anchor/reporter and easing into a part-time position with Brownfield.
“I’ve been grateful to Cyndi Young, director of Brownfield, for offering me a place among some of the most talented farm broadcasters in this business,” said Steever. “I’m doubly grateful to be given the opportunity to remain with the company while giving me time to do some things I’ve wanted to do.”
Steever graduated from South Dakota State University with a degree in broadcast journalism. His career in journalism began as a photographer for student-run publications in high school and college, and it continued with part-time on-air work for the campus radio station and commercial stations in Brookings and Sioux Falls.
“My farm upbringing in southeastern South Dakota prepared me to begin my farm broadcast career at KSOO in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, followed by livestock market reporting on dozens of Upper Midwest radio stations and on CBS affiliate KELO-TV in Sioux Falls,” Steever said.
Steever left South Dakota for a brief stint anchoring Channel Earth on DirecTV. He went on to do news part-time at WLS in Chicago before joining AFBF. During his farm broadcast tenure, Steever traveled extensively, covering stories in 15 countries, including Germany, China, Cuba, and Brazil. He has been honored by farm and commodity organizations in South Dakota, Missouri, and Illinois; and was awarded FFA Honorary Farmer degrees at the chapter, state, and national levels. Steever has been a member of NAFB since 1976, serving as regional vice president (two different regions), national vice president, president elect, and 2012 president.
Tom’s wife, Lori, is a retired surgical technologist. Son Brian is a musician in Kansas City, and daughter-in-law Katie is a dentist.
Brownfield began seeking applications for a full-time anchor/reporter in mid-July with plans to have someone hired and ready to assume those responsibilities on October 1, 2019.
