For well over a decade, Farm Broadcaster Joel Heitkamp of North Dakota has given agriculture and rural issues a significant platform on his live, three-hour radio program, News and Views. “For his work in elevating the issues facing family farmers, ranchers, and their communities, National Farmers Union (NFU) awarded Heitkamp with the 2019 Milt Hakel Agriculture Communications Award. Joel is a leading advocate for family farm and ranch agriculture in the Upper Midwest, and he is well deserving of this honor,” said NFU President Roger Johnson. “Given his significant following in both rural and urban centers, Joel’s impact is significant. That’s why it carries so much weight that he provides farm families a voice in increasingly polarized political and social climates.” The Milt Hakel Agriculture Communications Award is presented to reporters or news outlets that demonstrate exceptional reporting of agricultural issues. The award was named in honor of Milton D. Hakel, a well- respected Farmers Union communicator. “Each year we celebrate the influencers in journalism who provide fair and consistent coverage of the issues facing our members,” Johnson added. “These communicators are awarded because of their commitment to objective and insightful media stories that promote positive public discourse. I’m proud to recognize Joel Heitkamp this year with our Milt Hakel Agriculture Communications Award.”
