Eliza Petry did not set out to become a television news anchor. Her path began on a grain farm in northern Illinois, where agriculture was not a career concept but a way of life.
“I grew up on a grain farm up in northern Illinois,” Petry says. “I just naturally had a passion for ag, just like any other farm kid.”
That passion followed her into high school through FFA, where she became deeply involved and later served as an Illinois FFA state officer in 2018–19. At the time, Petry believed agricultural education was her calling. She enrolled at the University of Illinois to study ag education and fully expected to become a teacher.
That plan shifted during college, when a part-time job opportunity led her behind the scenes at a local television station in Champaign.
“I had never watched the news. Journalism was never on my radar,” she says. “I just thought the job sounded interesting.”
Working as a production assistant introduced her to cameras, editing, and live television. About a year later, station managers asked her to fill in as an anchor, drawing on her public speaking experience from FFA. What began as an experiment quickly became a crossroads.
“I was really struggling with it,” Petry says. “Everything I had worked toward was agriculture, and I couldn’t imagine not doing ag every single day.”
The solution became a hybrid role. Petry anchored the news while also serving as the station’s agriculture reporter, producing weekly ag segments and covering farm issues across central Illinois.
“If my face popped up on someone’s screen, they knew they were going to learn something about agriculture,” she says.
She spent three years in that role before RFD-TV approached her about an anchor position based in Nashville. The offer came sooner than she expected and required a difficult decision.
“I really fell in love with being a voice for ag at the local news level,” she says. “But I knew if I didn’t take this opportunity, I’d probably regret it later.”
Petry joined RFD-TV earlier this year and now anchors Market Day, delivering live coverage of ag headlines, markets, and policy developments each morning.
“It’s fast-paced, as-it’s-happening ag news,” she says. “That’s been my favorite part so far.”
Beyond the broadcast, Petry is also involved in digital content and social media as RFD-TV expands its online presence. She said the variety of the role fits the way she works best.
“I love doing something different every single day,” she says.
Looking ahead, Petry is most excited about expanding her understanding of agriculture beyond the Midwest.
“I know what farmers in Illinois care about,” she says. “Now I get to learn what producers across the entire country want to hear about.”
For Petry, the move represents both professional growth and a return to her roots.
“I’m very grateful for this opportunity,” she says. “I get to talk about agriculture every day, and that’s exactly where I want to be.”
