Bruce Kayser (WSBT-AM/WHFB-FM, Mishawaka, IN) has announced that he will be retiring this year. He grew up in South Bend, IN, surrounded by corn and soybean fields. At the time, he never gave it much thought. His broadcasting career started in the early ‘70s as a part-time announcer at WSBT in South Bend. “In the mid-70s, I took a full-time position as a radio morning show host in Columbia, TN. Little did I realize this would be an introduction to the world of agriculture. At that time, growing tobacco was big business in the Middle Tennessee area. I soon found myself assigned to covering tobacco auctions for the radio station.” He reflects, “Through interviewing farmers on an almost daily basis, I soon realized how weather, insects, government rules and regulations and many other factors affect the income of that crop.”
In the late ‘70s Bruce met and married his wife, Jade, who was living on her family farm with her mother and father. “The farm has been in her family for well over 100 years. It sits on roughly 130 acres. Her father raised cattle, grew tobacco, and various crops. I learned much about what was involved with his operation and grew to appreciate what effort and dedication it took to make a farm work.” Continuing, he said, “After a number of years, my wife and I moved back to my hometown of South Bend, IN, where I took a full-time position on Sunny 101.5 as a co-host of the morning show and eventually became the Farm Director for WSBT 96.1 and WHFB 99.9 for these last 5 years.” About NAFB, he said, “Becoming a member of the NAFB was great. I met people in all areas of agriculture, and it was apparent to me that all were passionate about their involvement in this extremely important business. Meeting in Kansas City each year for the NAFB Convention has been a great opportunity to meet my counterparts in the broadcasting field as well as representatives from the different companies involved in agriculture. It all made being a Farm Director easier and fascinating.
What I learned the most is that you can never learn it all.” Bruce added, “I enjoyed working with Megan Grebner and Dave Russell from Brownfield Ag News concerning their Ag Youth Awards at our local fairgrounds each year. The future of agriculture is in good hands if it involves award winners like I met each year. It is proof of the importance of 4-H.” Bruce concludes, “As I approach my retirement from broadcasting, I will truly miss my five years with the NAFB. I will miss those who I interacted with in the industry. They are all truly are dedicated. I feel honored to have played a very small part in the huge field of agriculture.” As for his future plans, Bruce offered, “Stay up a little later. Sleep in a little longer. Ride my bicycle more. Run in races. Take my wife on vacations. Grow and cultivate a vegetable garden.”
