Susan Allen of Ag Information Network of the West (Walla Walla, WA) reports KayDee Gilkey, ag news reporter for their radio network, “was selected out of all the hundreds of print, television and radio journalists who report on the cattle industry to receive the prestigious NCBA Excellence in Agricultural Journalism Award at the recent 2016 Cattle Industry Convention in San Diego.” She added, “Kay Dee was instrumental in educating cattlemen and women about issues impacting the cattle industry using her Open Range, Farm and Ranch Report and Colorado Ag Today daily radio programs. Both Oregon and Washington Cattlemen’s Associations expressed appreciation for her candid and poignant reporting on the wolf crisis facing Northwest ranchers including her ability to share their story articulately on air with the general public.” Kayli Hanley, Communications Director for the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association, said,“KayDee provides timely, accurate information regarding events affecting the cattle industry and agriculture in general. KayDee is fabulous to work with. She is never looking to “dig” pre-conceived notions out of people, but rather encourages them to help her understand the facts behind whatever issue might be going on. Radio reporting can be difficult when you only have 30 to 90 seconds to provide an accurate story. KayDee does a wonderful job of finding the individual who is at the heart of a story, and helping them share their story with her listeners.” KayDee is an “agvocate” for the beef industry as an Ag-Chat Volunteer and routinely conducts media training seminars for ag industry companies and associations. The Ag Information Network of the West is made up of more than 85 radio affiliates throughout Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Colorado.
KayDee responded, “When I heard I was to receive the NCBA Excellence in Ag Journalism award, I was excited. The beef industry has always been an important part of my life and I have a special place in my heart for ranchers and the challenges they face. I was humbled to be nominated — let alone to be recognized with the award. I’m passionate about sharing my radio platform with ranchers and industry leaders in order to help them get their message out to fellow beef producers as well as consumers. I like the challenge of taking complex ideas and research and having to boil it down to a 90-second radio story.”
While attending Washington State University, KayDee had the unique opportunity to provide two weekly 60-second radio stories for about 50 radio stations across the West for two years. She used WSU News Releases from the College of Agriculture and Home Economics, did interviews with their sources, and then produced the stories. “I really enjoyed doing farm broadcasting but figured that there wasn’t much opportunity in the Pacific Northwest to be a farm broadcaster. So I focused my studies more on journalism and public relations, rather than radio.” Her first job was with the Washington Cattlemen’s Association as Administrative Assistant. Like many small member-associations, she answered the phones, got the mail, did clerical work, helped plan their convention, wrote news releases, and produced the member magazine. About two years later, she moved to Idaho to become Member and Services Coordinator for the Idaho Cattle Association. “I really enjoyed working in the beef industry. I guess you could say the beef industry is in my DNA — both of my parents grew up in the cattle business and many of my extended family have been involved in the county, state, regional and even national level of the beef industry,” KayDee said. She was raised on a purebred Angus ranch and showed livestock in both 4-H and FFA. She served on the National Junior Angus Board and was the Western States Angus Queen. Following her time in Idaho, KayDee moved backed to Washington to work for Northwest Farm Credit Services in their Marketing Department for the next 16 years. “The feeling that I’d missed an opportunity in radio had not really left me since my college broadcasting experience, so when the opportunity with Ag Information Network of the West opened up about four years ago, I jumped at the chance to give radio broadcasting a try. I’ve so enjoyed telling ag’s story and bringing my audience information that will assist them in their day-to-day operations.” About KayDee, Susan said, “I know KayDee will attest that broadcasting didn’t come easy, but she has worked hard to find her ‘voice’. It was also a new challenge for her to learn to write for radio, come up with fresh programming every day, and make 90-second reports appealing to both ag audiences and the general public. Being a reporter for Ag Information Network of the West has provided her a platform to attend numerous events throughout the nation and given her opportunities to offer media training for groups like the Oregon Cattlemen’s Association.
