When her father established the radio station in 1961, General Manager Stacey Smith said the call letters were chosen as an abbreviation for World’s Greatest Farming Area (WGFA). “We have always strived to bring quality ag news and information to our listeners,” she said. “Ken Root joined our team in 2010, replacing Colleen Callahan who went on to head the USDA Rural Development in Illinois. As Ken planned his retirement in April 2015, WGFA knew that having an NAFB farm broadcaster is important to the local ag communities. With Ken’s help, we are proud to introduce John Gooding as the WGFA new NAFB Farm Broadcaster, a familiar name to many residents of the Illiana area.”
John Gooding is a lifelong resident of Iroquois County. He graduated from Sheldon High School and the University of Illinois with a B.S. in agriculture. He was in the banking business for many years and graduated from the Graduate School of Banking at the University of Wisconsin. John and his family continue to operate their “centennial” grain and livestock farm. John now resides in Watseka, IL, with his wife, Tina, and is the father of four and grandfather of two. About John, Stacey said, “John is passionate about agriculture and is excited to share his passion with WGFA listeners. He will offer a blend of national, regional and local information with stories from many people you know. With his quick wit and humor, John is sure to entertain listeners as well as inform them on various topics related to agriculture.” John looks forward to meeting his NAFB colleagues this fall in Kansas City.
